Starring Stella

Stella is the Latin word for star. It also shows up occasionally as a woman’s name. Do we know any Stella’s? How about Stella McCartney, daughter of Beatle, Sir Paul McCarney, well-known fashion designer in her own right. When we went to New Zealand a few years ago looking to line up a Kiwi winery for our portfolio, we were attracted by the unique embodiment of a passion for life, culture and entertainment and their avant-garde brand name of SOHO. Rachel Carter, winery owner, chose the name Stella for their premium Sauvignon Blanc. Her inspiration was women with classic confidence and sexy femininity. 

While SOHO is based on Waiheke Island, a forty-minute boat ride from the capital city Auckland, grapes for this wine are sourced from their own Carter Family Vineyards and other select boutique estates in South Island’s Marlborough region. Delicious zest fruit meets gorgeous minerality. There is a luscious concentration on the palate of pure stone fruits and lime. The long finish is balanced with a vibrant acidity

France’s Loire region is the ancestral homeland of Sauvignon Blanc and the classic pairing there is goat’s cheese, called Chèvre. Go to your local cheese shop and have them recommend a quality soft goat cheese. Top it with a fig spread on a fresh baguette. Sip and savour. Sam Kim of New Zealand’s Wine Orbit publication gave it 95 points.

2025 Soho Stella Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc LCBO# 554311, $21.95