2022 'Windward' by Whitehaven Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
$26.00
TASTING NOTE
This is the inaugural release of Windward, produced specifically for a limited number of markets in the United States. This wine captures what we believe are some of our most exciting parcels of Sauvignon Blanc in a given vintage. We have managed to hold a small amount in New Zealand to share with you.
Colour / Appearance: Pale lemon.
Aroma / Bouquet: Focused and refined aromatics of white peach, lemongrass, blackcurrant bud, passionfruit and nettle with complexing sea spray and wet river stone notes in support.
Palate: A wine of absolute purity, fine detail and clarity of expression with impressive concentration and flavour persistence. The aromatic characters follow onto the palate with a lovely saline and mineral texture leaving the palate wanting more.
Cellaring: We recommend drinking our 2022 Windward Sauvignon Blanc over the next 3 years but believe it will continue developing gracefully with careful cellaring
Food Match: This wine is produced with food in mind and will beautifully accompany oysters, fresh seafood, Japanese cuisine, light poultry meals and goat’s cheeses
Serve: Lightly chilled.
WINE ANALYSIS
Alcohol: 13.0
Residual Sugar: 2.5 g/L
Titratable Acidity: 7.45 g/L
pH: 3.35
VITICULTURE
Harvest Date: 23/3/22 Murphy, 26/3/22 Peter, 30/3/22 Gray, 1/4/22 Jeffries
Grape Growing: We are proud to source the fruit for this wine exclusively from Marlborough and certify the wine with Appellation Marlborough Wine (AMW). The wine is comprised of 5 separate parcels of fruit, from 4 different vineyard locations. 45% is from 2 sperate parcels from the Peter’s family in the Awatere Valley; 22% is from the Murphy’s Vineyard in Spring Creek; 22% is from the Gray’s vineyard in Renwick and 11% is from the Jeffries’ vineyard in Dillons Point.
Climate: The 2022 growing season started with soil moisture at capacity, following an unusually wet winter which had seen flooding in parts of the region. Pleasingly, the region did not suffer any major frost events and despite conditions in November being a little wet, the warmth that went with it meant that flowering was not drawn out and resulted in good fruit set and the prospect of healthy yields. The remainder of the season was punctuated by cooler weather and rainfall events and we were vigilant around disease pressure as we entered the harvest period. Harvest was later this year and Brix accumulation was slow. We experienced another rain event in the final third of March, following which we thought it best to harvest as quickly as possible in order to retain pure fruit expression. This is where Whitehaven’s new receival building came to the fore, allowing greater throughput while maintain the quality focus and attention to detail that Whitehaven prides itself on.
VINIFICATION
Winemaking: The fruit was machine harvested, often overnight, and pressed immediately with minimal skin contact. After cold settling, the clear juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks at 16°C – 12°C with selected yeast strains to preserve pure sub regional characters and varietal flavours. Wines sat on light yeast lees in tank for up to 6 weeks prior to blending in June 22. The wine has been heat and cold stabilised, and sterile filtered, prior to bottling.
ACCOLADES
- Christina Pickard, Wine Enthusiast: 91/100 Points
- Maryanne Worobiec, Wine Spectator: 91/100 Points
- James Suckling, 90/100 Points: "Complex aromas of flint, licorice, aniseed and sliced lemon follow through to a medium to full body, steely palate and a fresh finish. Crisp yet creamy texture."
