Buy New Zealand wines from Astrolabe Wines all inclusive pricing and delivery

Shop

Welcome to Astrolabe Wines e-cellar door

An astrolabe is an ancient astronomical instrument that was used to make a diverse range of calculations. Its name translates as ‘star-taker’. A mariner’s astrolabe, modified for use upon a ship, was used by early navigators to determine latitude by measuring the altitude of a celestial object. French explorer Dumont d’Urville charted the Marlborough coast in 1827 aboard a ship named L’Astrolabe. When career winemaker Simon Waghorn wanted to start his own label in 1996, he chose the name Astrolabe because of the historic ties with Marlborough, and he liked the connotations of exploration and discovery.

Simon Waghorn has been honing his craft over four decades and has established a benchmark style of sauvignon blanc that reflects an unparalleled diversity of vineyard sources. Careful site selection, expert picking decisions, delicate fruit handling and astute blending are the hallmarks of his Marlborough wines. Simon’s personal style defines an Astrolabe wine — focused, balanced and elegant. Simon crafts a range of beautiful wines that express the purity and intensity of fruit flavours afforded by the climate and soils of the Marlborough region.

All grapes are sourced from ten families who live on their land and farm sustainably. Many of the relationships we have with our growers are more than twenty years old. We work with dedicated growers who understand the rhythms of the land and know how to grow grapes that express the terroir. These sites are spread across the Marlborough sub-regions, giving a diversity of soil profile and mesoclimate. Each vineyard was chosen for the distinctive flavour it produces.

“I choose to live and work in Marlborough because I believe the grapes here are the best in the world. I use all my skills and experience to style wines with elegance and balance that capture the intensity and brightness of our fruit. The diverse terroir of Marlborough’s sub-regions broadens my palette as a winemaker to craft complex and individual wines.” — Simon Waghorn, Winemaker

Reviews

ASTROLABE MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022

94 POINTS “OUTSTANDING”

#15 TOP 100

“Checking all the boxes, this stunning version is fresh and vibrant yet also complex and full of fl avor, from toasted green tea and lemon thyme to mouthwatering passion fruit, yuzu and mango. Ends with hints of white pepper, lemon blossoms and sea salt on the long expressive finish. Drink now.”

JUL 23
-
MaryAnn Worobiec
Wine Spectator

ASTROLABE MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIR 2020

94 POINTS “EXCELLENT”

“Youthful, complex savoury spice, plum and dark cherry, layers of fruit and oak and secondary scents from the synergies between these two attributes. Youthful, intense, fresh, varietal and fruity on the palate. Dry with a coarse silk texture, medium tannins and plenty of acidity for foundation and straucture. There’s a core of complexity and savory spices leading to a lengthy dry finish. Flavours continue with dark cherry and vanilla, dark rose and baking spice. Youthful and delicious with best drinking from 2025 through 2034.”

APR 22
-
Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier
camdouglasms.com

ASTROLABE KĒKERENGŪ COAST SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023

91 POINTS “OUTSTANDING”

“Perfumed aromas of baked pear, sliced banana and poppy seed. Medium bodied
with saline mineral notes cutting through the tropical and peach fruit. Oyster shell. Lingering finish. Sustainable. Vegan. Drink now. Screw cap.”

OCT 22
-
James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com