2012 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc
Accolades
TROPHY Champion Sauvignon Blanc - Spiegelau International Wine Comp. 2012
Gold Medal - Spiegelau International Wine Competition 2012
Gold Medal - New Zealand International Wine Show 2012
Tasting Note
Colour / Appearance:Mid-straw with a bright clarity. Aroma / Bouquet:Lifted and pure aromatics of elderflower, red capsicum and fresh gooseberries. Grapefruit, crushed herbs and jalapeno notes add intrigue and pungency. Palate:The palate has freshness and clean fruit purity with a finely balanced, clean acidity. It shows vibrant varietal aromas with full impact on the palate, typical of the Marlborough region. Cellaring:We recommend you enjoy while young and fresh but the wine is capable of developing nicely over the next three to five years with carefully cellaring. Food Match:A perfect accompaniment to summer salads, poultry and shellfish. Also try it with lobster and fish. Serve:Lightly chilled.
Wine Analysis
Alcohol:13.0%Residual Sugar:4.0 g/L Titratable Acidity:8.3 g/L pH:3.44
Viticulture
Harvest Date:8th April – 28th April 2012 Climate:The early part of the season was cool and wet, resulting in lower yields and a late harvest period. Long dry spells over the final part of the ripening season lead to an accumulation of intense varietal flavours, high natural acidity to retain these flavours and clean fruit. Vine Management:Vines are trained to three or four canes on a vertical trellis. Balanced pruning, shoot thinning, tucking and trimming are used to achieve an open healthy canopy and clean fruit.
Vinification
Winemaking:The fruit was machine harvested in cool evening conditions and pressed immediately with minimal skin contact. After settling, the clear juice was fermented at very low temperatures with selected yeast strains to preserve the inherent varietal flavours. The wine was fermented entirely in stainless steel. Winemaker:Sam Smail and Diana Katardzhieva