Invivo Wines

Invivo Wines

Continuing their quest for wine 'world domination', this week sees the much anticipated launch to the Australian market of Invivo Wines - a boutique New Zealand winery already dripping in award glory and championed by influential designers, fashionistas and musicians alike.

The brainchild of two school mates from Auckland, Rob Cameron and Tim Lightbourne, Invivo was conceived over, you guessed it, a drink, back in 2006, when the two 30 year olds, sitting in a London pub, decided on a joint vision to produce premium wines from New Zealand's best wine growing regions.

Tim Lightbourne, Co-founder and Director says: "Our aim with Invivo was to produce and showcase the fantastic tastes coming from the various regions in New Zealand, such as the Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, or the Pinot Noir from Central Otago. Our fresh approach attracted the attention of fashion icon Neville Findlay from Zambesi who agreed to design our label, and since then we've had a strong alignment with creative industries - sponsored Invivo artists and musicians are profiled on our website and their events supported by Invivo around the world."

In a tough economic climate for wine producers, Invivo's cult following in New Zealand, along with their fresh crisp tastes, excellent balance and easy drinking appeal, has led to unprecedented awards success. These international successes have firmly planted Invivo on the world stage.

After only their third vintage, Invivo's string of award wins includes:

- Gold Best in Class: Invivo Central Otago Pinot Noir (and Top 5 Pinot Noirs in the world), 2010 International Wine & Spirit Competition, England
- Gold at the 2010 Decanter World Wine Awards, Invivo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and rated Top 10 Sauvignon Blancs by Decanter.
- 2010 Sauvignon Blanc awarded 5 Stars by Winestate magazine
- 2009 & 2010, Trophy Finalist New Zealand Wine Producer of the Year, International Wine & Spirit Competition, England
- Trophy Winner, 2010 UK White Wine of the Year at the Quality Drinks Awards
- Invivo 2009 Sauvignon Blanc name number two in New Zealand and five stars in a tasting of 215 New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs by Cuisine - New Zealand's largest circulated food and drink magazine
- Chosen to be served on board Air New Zealand Business Class
- Invivo Sauvignon Blanc awarded in the top 5 out of thousands in the grand final for 2009 Wine of the Year by the prestigious Winestate Magazine
- Winner of the AMCOR Innovation in New Zealand Wine Marketing trophy by the New Zealand Wine Industry

Tim adds: "It's exciting for us to enter the Australian market and show the Australian public, who are some of the most astute wine drinkers in the world, what we have to offer. We're confident we'll have that all important wow factor!"

Offering discerning drinkers a new approach to classic grapes, and on only its third vintage, the brand also caught the attention of New Zealand fashion house Zambesi who agreed to craft their unique label. With inspiration drawn from the points of a compass the eye-catching emblem signifies Invivo's aim to produce wine from all key regions in New Zealand, and the collaboration of winemaking, as a focal art in itself.

Priced from $18, Invivo's current range includes:
2010 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc: $18.00
2010 Marlborough Pinot Gris: $22.00
2010 Marlborough Rose: $20.00
2009 Central Otago Pinot Noir: $32.00
'bella' by Invivo Marlborough 2010 Sauvignon Blanc: $22.00

Perfect for the more health conscious wine drinkers over the summer, Invivo's low calorie, low alcohol option, 'bella' by Invivo Marlborough 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, is a far cry from low alcohol wines seen previously in the market. Using vines that were protected from the sun in the afternoon, ripe flavours were developed at relatively low sugar levels critical for producing a low alcohol level and with grapes harvested at night.

Tim adds: "On tasting Bella we hope the consumer would have no idea this was a lower alcohol wine. Most Sauvignon Blancs clock in around at around 13.5 per cent alcohol but bella only has nine per cent, and unlike most low alcohol wines, it is not sweet. We're very proud of the results we have achieved through some intensive work in the vineyard."

Bella by Invivo is the perfect light drink this summer with lime and mandarin citrus flavours underpinned by classic gooseberry and those tangy summer herbs - fresh, bright, juicy and good for your waistline too.


Invivo Founders

Winemaker and director Rob Cameron's experience includes establishing and creating the award winning Lochiel Estate Vineyard & Winery in New Zealand; over in Europe he was one of Slovenia's first foreign winemakers and instrumental in bringing the country's wine into the European Union in terms of quality; senior winemaker for KEO plc in Cyprus overseeing four wineries and a 30,000 ton harvest; consultant for Firebird Legend in Moldova, and worked with Cellarworld International advising and assisting in winemaking in France, Spain, Hungry, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic to name a few. Rob's distinguished career as a winemaker has been recognised with awards internationally.

Co-founder and marketing director Tim Lightbourne has an extensive international marketing background including L'Oreal UK as a senior marketer where he achieved record market share for the L'Oreal brand and group Danone, and studied with Danone's marketing University in Paris, Lyon and Istanbul. Tim was also influential as a marketing consultant for HJ Heinz Co and assisted in developing the strategy to launch HP Foods in new and emerging markets across Europe. He was also the winner of the British Marketing Innovation Award in 2005 for his work with international culinary sauce brand HP and Lean & Perrions. Whilst based in Europe in 2002 Tim took some time out to work a vintage in Burgandy, France, where his fondness and fascination in wine began.

Tasting Notes from Rob Cameron

Invivo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010
"Tropical bubblegum, fresh sliced bell peppers and floral lime zest rise from the glass initially. This is well backed up by a vibrant, cutting fresh palate with deceptive power and concentration. Evidence of the lees contact adds a textural dimension to the focused palate and bouncing tropical fruit. This wine will develop in bottle over time and its complexity will become more marked between sweet fruit spectrum and almost savory herbal notes."
2010 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc: $18.00

bella by Invivo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010
30% less alcohol and 30% less calories that our standard Sauvignon Blanc.
"Fresh cut pineapple with hints of green gage plums and racy limes hit both nose and palate. Soft, full textured mouth-feel with pleasing balance leaves the palate both awakened and refreshed! bella by Invivo is deceptive in its power and has great length without requiring high alcohol, using fruit intensity as the backbone to its structure. bella by Invivo accompanies a wide range of cuisine and excellent with light salads and pasta dishes."
'bella' by Invivo Marlborough 2010 Sauvignon Blanc: $22.00

Marlborough Pinot Gris 2010
"The nose offers perfume of pears, quince and subtle candied fruit. The palate backs this up and sweet pear/fig dominating the fruit flavours and soft texture. The wine is silky and deceptively full bodied showing nice balance of sugar and acid leaving a clean and crisp finish that is not oily or cloying. A great lunch time wine that is versatile with many foods but will excel when paired with white cheeses, ceaser salads and chicken dishes."
2010 Marlborough Pinot Gris: $22.00

Marlborough Sophie's Rose 2010
"The wine has a beautiful rose petal colour and aromas for crushed strawberries with a hint of tropical fruit and citrus. The palate is vibrant and full in the mouth with pronounced berry and citrus and sweetness only to balance acidity. This wine is a perfect summer drink and will accompany barbeque, salads and seafood extremely well."
2010 Marlborough Rose: $20.00

Invivo Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009
"Deep ruby red with a dense ruby hue. Very ripe and perfumed nose with dark cherries and plums with an earthy, complex oak backbone. Palate is instantly mouth-filling with a solid core of sweet cherries and a hint of toast. Silky tannins help complete the palate and the finish is long and sweet. This wine is instantly appealing and varietal but will reward cellaring."
2009 Central Otago Pinot Noir: $32.00