2023 Whitehaven Single Vineyard Series 'Block 11' Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc

VITICULTURE

Harvest Date: 4th April 2023.

Grape Growing: The fruit for this wine came exclusively from a corner of Block 11, a 5.63hectare site at Whitehaven's Pauls Road vineyard in the Rapaura District.  The block adjoins the winery and borders the Wairua River, with a free draining, stony silt loam profile.  Throughout the growing season the vines were thoughtfully managed by Corinne Turkington (Vineyard Manager), with open canopies and prudent crop thinning helping to create ripe, clean fruit while retaining freshness come harvest time.  Fruit was hand-picked at 22.5 Brix. 

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 27^th March and fruit condition remained very good through until the end of harvest.

VINIFICATION

Winemaking: Fruit was hand harvested and whole bunch pressed to retain purity and precision in the juice.  Cloudy juice was then run to old French oak puncheons for spontaneous and warm fermentation, in an effort to draw out greater interest and complexity in the wine and build in a more Savoury fruit profile suited to this style of wine.  Over 80% of the wine naturally went through malolactic fermentation producing the softer, creamy lactic acid, aiding mouthfeel.

ACCOLADES

• The distinctive 2023 vintage (*****) is a single-vineyard wine, hand-picked at Rapaura, in the Wairau Valley, and matured for over a year in old French oak puncheons.  Already delicious, it is bright, light yellow/green, with a fragrant, complex bouquet.  Full-bodied, it has concentrated, ripe, tropical fruit flavours, enriched by finely integrated oak, balanced acidity and a long, dry (1.9 grams/litre of residual sugar), very harmonious finish.  Michael Cooper, NZ, Five Stars.

• This wine was selected for the 2024 AMW Annual Collection, a representation of the highest calibre of Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough’s 2024 harvest, and the only alternative style of Sauvignon Blanc to be selected.

• An enticing bouquet of lees and a light barrel-ferment quality, complex and youthful, a bouquet with shape and form. Crisp and dry, textured and delicious on the palate. Flavours of lemon and baked apple, grapefruit peel and baking spices from barrel and lees contact. Very good weight and palate appeal, impact of flavours and textures. Lengthy and well made to with or without food. best from 2025 through 2029. Cameron Douglas, MS, NZ 94 Points