New Zealand's most internationally acclaimed wine is sought after from Sydney to New York and London. Its irresistibly aromatic and zesty style and intense flavours stem from 'the fruit characters that are in the grapes when they arrive at the winery'. It is sourced from company-owned and several long-term contract growers' vineyards in the Rapaura, Fairhall, Renwick and Brancott districts of the Wairau Valley, Marlborough. The wine is mostly cool-fermented with cultured and indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks and aged on its yeast lees, and a small percentage of the blend (nearly 5 per cent in 2022) is fermented at warmer temperatures in large-format oak vats. Bright, light lemon/green, the 2022 vintage (4.5*) is weighty, with a fresh, ripely herbal bouquet. Mouthfilling, it is highly varietal, with strong, tropical fruit flavours to the fore, distinct herbal notes, and a crisp, fully dry (1.3 grams/litre of residual sugar), very harmonious and lingering finish. From a heavy-cropping growing season, it impresses as a sound but not great vintage.
Details
Type: White Wines
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2022
Overall Rating for All Vintages Tasted: ★★★★★ – 5 Stars
Price: $37 NZD
Sweetness: DRY
Value for Money: AV
This wine is a Super Classic.
When to drink: 2022
Reviewed November 2022