The co-founders of award-winning New Zealand wine and spirits company Invivo & Co have once again partnered with Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker to create their latest drop - and for stans of the series, no, it's not a Cosmopolitan.
Kiwi partners-in-wine Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron recently reunited with Parker, 57, at the Baccarat Hotel in New York to blend the fourth vintage of their award-winning New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. During their first in-person meeting in two years due to the pandemic, famed fashion photographer Nigel Barker was on-hand to capture the special moment.
"I feel fortunate that I was able to meet my Invivo X, SJP partners Tim and Rob in person after two years apart and together blend our fourth vintage of Sauvignon Blanc," Parker, a co-founder of Invivo X, SJP, said of the meeting.
"We were looking to build on the quality of our previous vintages and are thrilled with the result. Each of the base wines had great personalities, so combining them to create something special took some work at the blending table."
The co-founders describe the final 2022 Sauvignon Blanc blend as tropical with fresh citrus aromatics, a full, round mouthfeel and long finish.
To ensure Parker was part of the tasting and blending process, winemaker Cameron selected 10 samples of Sauvignon Blanc following the recent harvest in Marlborough and transported them to New York for their reunion with the star.
"She represents the tastes of our customers and what they are looking for in their glass. Sarah Jessica has developed a beautiful style of Sauvignon Blanc that is soft with a subtle oak influence with flavours of ripe citrus, tropical fruits and just a hint of something savoury," Cameron added.
"It's been a joy to see Sarah Jessica's confidence at the blending table grow over the past four years and we're really proud of the quality of the wine we're producing together."
Invivo X, SJP was founded in 2019 by the Sex and the City alum and Waikato-based Invivo. The acclaimed Sauvignon Blanc was named in the World's Top 100 wines in its first vintage by Wine Spectator, while the collection - which features the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and French Rosé - has been awarded more than 50 accolades since its launch, with Wine Spectator awarding the Sauvignon Blanc three 90-plus point scores for its first three vintages.
Invivo Wines was founded in 2008 by winemakers Lightbourne and Cameron, who had been friends from school. The company, which also produces gin and vodka, has since launched the world's first winery airline and became the first New Zealand winery to launch a sell-out collection of NFTs. It's the only crowdfunded winery in the Southern Hemisphere, with more than $6 million raised through crowdfunding and private equity.
Parker recently returned to the spotlight when she reprised her role as Carrie Bradshaw for the Sex and the City revival and sequel series, And Just Like That…, in 2021. Parker, who starred as Bradshaw on the hit HBO series from 1998 to 2004 and in two subsequent films, released in 2008 and 2010 respectively, has served as an executive producer for both the original and reboot. Production of the second season of And Just Like That... is set to begin later this year.
Parker first joined the board of the Waikato wine company in December 2019. Invivo has also had a high-profile partnership with Irish comedian and presenter, Graham Norton.
