When the first growers planted grapes in Marlborough in the 1970s it is unlikely they would have foreseen the extent of the growth and fame that the region’s wine industry would achieve, based upon a single varietal called Sauvignon Blanc. The distinctive pungency and zest fruit flavours of the first Marlborough wines, in particular Sauvignon Blanc, captured the imagination of the country's winemakers as well as international wine commentators and consumers and sparked an unparalleled boom in vineyard development. Worldwide interest in Marlborough wines, particularly Sauvignon Blanc, has continued to fuel that regional wine boom.

The continued worldwide interest and demand for Marlborough wines fuels on ongoing growth of plantings.  The region currenly has 23,600 hectares of land planted with planted grapes. These plantings are primarily located within the Wairau Valley.  Over the last decade, viticulture has also spread southeast into the smaller slightly cooler Awatere Valley.  More recently the southern side valleys of the Wairau – Fairhall, Hawkesbury and Waihopai – have gathered a collection of vines.