Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough - New Zealand

Shelf Talker Spec Sheet Wine Label Bottle Image

About

2020 will certainly be a year that will never be forgotten. As COVID-19 set in across the globe, New Zealand rushed to shut down, with great success. The challenges of harvesting during a national shutdown were certainly not easy. ‘Social distancing’ and limited crews were required with very long hours for everybody. ‘Non-essential’ workers were not allowed for harvest, therefore for over a month winemakers and harvest workers were forced to live in a bubble. Thankfully mother nature gave everyone a great gift with a truly once-in-a-lifetime (or decade) vintage, and one that the Cowleys say is the greatest they’ve ever seen. A literal perfect summer led into an even more perfect autumn. Cool nights closing down moderately warm days continued up until every grape was picked. There is precision and energy matched by textural suppleness that has rarely, if ever been seen.

Handpicked estate fruit. Cool fermentation with cultured native yeast in stainless steel tanks was utilized to retain the fresh varietal aromatics. This was balanced by a portion of the fruit subjected to traditional winemaking practices: whole bunch pressed and fermented in seasoned oak barrels, adding texture and length to the wine. The result is a hand-crafted wine combining the bright fresh fruit characters with an underlying minerality and fine structure.

Stats

Grapes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Vineyard: Auntsfield Estate
Vine Age: 8-37-years-old - average 20-years-old
Soil Type: Loess clay over greywacke rock
Viticulture: Sustainable (SWNZ – Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand Certified) – Practicing Organic
Fermentation: Inoculated with cultured indigenous yeast (steel) - Wild yeast (barrel)
Skin Contact: None
Aging: 6 months in 85% Stainless Steel - 15% fermented in seasoned French barrique
pH: 3.22
Total Acidity: 7.3 g/L
Total SO2: 60 ppm
Total Production: 7,000 cases

Tasting Note

Pale straw. Intense and pure aromas of fresh passionfruit, and ripe citrus. Notes of dried herbs, mandarin peel and fresh floral notes give intensity to the aromatics. The palate is concentrated, tight and still lithe and elegant. It displays intense ripe flavors of passionfruit and white peach, and tropical fruits with fresh citrus and citrus peel. The palate has ample concentration and generous weight, balanced by an underlying minerality and tight structure to shape a wine with lively tension and textural balance

Press & Reviews

Decanter

94

"Layered, complex nose of tropical fruits and flowers, sweet lemon and apple, fresh basil then a delicate gooseberry note. Equally complex on the palate with youthful tension from the acidity and a leesy texture accentuated by the herbaceousness ripe fruit. A delicious and serious wine."
- Cameron Douglas, MS

James Suckling

93

"Very attractive passion-fruit aromas, as well as ripe melon and lime cream. So much going on here. The palate has a big hit of fresh, ripe and juicy passion-fruit and peach flavors. Pleasingly bitter edge to the finish. Tonic-like twist. Drink now. Screw cap."
- James Suckling

Vinous

92

"This Sauvignon Blanc combines the quintessential vibrancy and clarity of Marlborough with an expansive, mouth-filling texture. While classically Sauvignon with its vivid elderflower, citrus, passion fruit and nettle aromas, its enthusiasm is curbed by a proportion of wine fermented in oak. Mouthwatering acidity cleanses the palate on the balanced, medium-length finish. Incredibly youthful, this needs a little time to fully settle into its new home in bottle."
- Rebecca Gibb, MW

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2020