An authoritative wine, it is typically ripe and zingy, with impressive weight and length of flavour, and tends to be fuller in body, less herbaceous and rounder than its Clifford Bay stablemate (above). The contributing vineyards vary from vintage to vintage, but Peter and Deborah Jackson’s warm, stony vineyard in the heart of the valley has long been a key source of grapes, and sometimes a small part of the blend is barrel-fermented, to enhance its complexity and texture. The 2016 vintage (5*) is fragrant and lively, with slightly ‘sweaty’ tropical-fruit aromas leading into a mouthfilling wine (13.5 per cent alcohol) with concentrated, ripely herbaceous flavours and a dry (3.4 grams/litre of residual sugar), finely poised, rich finish. The 2017 vintage (4.5*) is intensely aromatic and medium-bodied, with incisive, ripely herbaceous flavours, lees-aging notes adding complexity, and a dry (3 grams/litre of residual sugar), long finish.
Details
Type: White Wines
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2017
Overall Rating for All Vintages Tasted: ★★★★★ – 5 Stars
Price: $28 NZD
Sweetness: DRY
Value for Money: V+
Buyer’s Guide Edition: 2018
This wine is a Classic.