2023 Whitehaven Marlborough Gewürztraminer
$32.00
TASTING NOTE
Colour / Appearance: Pale lemon with a bright clarity.
Aroma / Bouquet: Lifted aromas of rose petal and honeysuckle, with a gentle suggestion of red apple, ginger, and a smidge of Turkish delight.
Palate: Bold flavours of rock melon and ripe orange, with a subtle hint of lychee and spice. The wine is off-dry to taste, with a plush mouthfeel and long, clean finish.
Cellaring: This wine is ready to be enjoyed now or within 5-7 years of the vintage date if carefully cellared.
Serve: Lightly chilled.
Food Match: We recommend dishes with aromatic spices and flavours, such as Moroccan, Thai or Chinese dishes.
WINE ANALYSIS
Alcohol: 13.5%
Residual Sugar: 8.7 g/L
Titratable Acidity: 4.4g/L
pH: 3.65
VITICULTURE
Harvest Date: 1 April 2023
Climate: Similar to the previous season, the 2023 growing season started with soil moisture at capacity following a wet winter. Flowering conditions in November and December were not even across Marlborough with some sub-regions achieving a good set and crop load and others below average set. Vigilance around disease pressure was paramount, with regular rain events through the season and unusual humidity and warm nights through much of December and January. Day time temperatures were not warm, delaying the vine’s physiological advancement. Marlborough breathed a sigh of relief as cyclone Gabrielle minimally impacted the region in February, while wreaking havoc through much of the North Island. The season turned a corner for Marlborough in early March with a return to cool nights and sunnier conditions allowing us to delay harvest for as long as possible, resulting in fruit that reached good sugar levels with attractive flavours, while disease levels remained low and manageable. Peak time for intake was the two weeks starting from the 27th March and fruit condition remained very good through until the end of harvest.
Grape Growing: Fruit for this wine came from Whitehaven’s Rapaura site, and Riverstone Vineyard in the Waihopai Valley. Pruned to 2-3 cane VSP, these vines are carefully managed over the growing season with the aim of producing beautifully ripe, clean fruit come harvest time.
Winemaking: The fruit from both vineyards were hand-picked on a cool autumn morning. At the winery the grapes were destemmed and crushed before being pumped to the press. We let this must sit overnight in the press, before pressing off the following morning. The juice was then let to settle for 48 hours and then the clear juice was racked off and warmed for fermentation. The ferment was regularly tasted and then stopped when we felt the balance of the wine was right. We then let the wine sit on light lees for 3-4 months, before stabilizing and filtering. The wine was then bottled on the 12th of October, 2023.
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It's gorgeously perfumed on the nose, showing pineapple, lychee, exotic spice and rich floral aromas. The palate delivers succulent fruit intensity with fleshy texture and juicy acidity, finishing long and delicious. Sam Kim, NZ, 94/100, 5 stars.
