2021 Whitehaven Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

VITICULTURE

Harvest Date: 10th March – 1st April 2021

Grape Growing: We are proud to source the fruit for this wine exclusively from Marlborough. A mix of company owned or managed vineyards, and contract grower vineyards, are pruned to between two and four canes on a vertical shoot positioned trellis. Shoot thinning, leaf plucking and trimming are used to achieve balanced vines, a healthy canopy and clean fruit. Minimal crop thinning was required in 2021 due to naturally low crops.

Climate: 2021 will be remembered as a season of two halves. The early part of the growing season was marked by two severe frost burn events which affected much of the region to varying degrees. This was followed by variable cool and wet weather through flowering, resulting in fewer berries setting per bunch, further reducing crops after the frost damage. Post Christmas however, we could not have asked for a better season. The weather remained warm, but not hot, and we had beautiful diurnal shift leading into harvest, retaining freshness and energy in the fruit and providing the perfect conditions for flavour development. With the light crops, harvest was underway earlier than usual and it was only in the final days of the harvest that we encountered some wet weather events that the winery was easily able to work around.

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 2 months prior to blending in June 2021. The wine has been heat and cold stabilised, and sterile filtered, prior to bottling.

ACCOLADES

• 2022 Millennial Wine & Beer Competition, LA, USA: Gold Medal
• 2021 New Zealand International Wine Show: Gold Medal
• "This is splendidly fruited and instantly appealing with feijoa, passionfruit, jalapeno and lime zest aromas on the nose, followed by a concentrated palate offering impressive fruit power and persistency. Bright, juicy and flavoursome with a lengthy delicious finish" 5 Stars - Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, NZ
• "Bright, pale straw-yellow, even colour throughout. The nose is softly full, displaying aromas of white currant, lime, tomato vine melded with a hint of white spice. Medium-light bodied, vibrant aromas of white currant, lime interweave gooseberries, herbaceous tomato vine, followed by white pepper lends a lengthy finish. The fruit has brilliant concentration and ripeness, supported by a lively acid line. Subtle fine-textured phenolics provide an elegant presence, leaving a chalky mouthfeel. This is an elegant Sauvignon Blanc with concentration, refreshing acidity on a chalky textured palate. Match with steamed mussels and white fish over the next 3 years." 5 Stars, Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Wine Reviews, NZ
• "Pungent, herbaceous, tropical, fresh and vibrant bouquet with flavours of crisp red apple and white peach, pink grapefruit, pineapple and lemongrass. Salivating acidity with a salty edge, a core of fruit and satin-textured finish. Fresh, live and ready. Great drinking from 2021 through 2024+." 93/100 Points, Excellent, Cameron Douglas, MS, NZ
• "Light, fresh and tangy Sauvignon Blanc with cut-grass, gooseberry, lime juice and passionfruit flavours supported by a thread of mouth-watering acidity." 90/100 Points, Bob Campbell, MW, NZ
• "Holy pea pods Batman! This snappy new sauvignon from one of Marlborough’s pioneering wine families is ripe, rumpty and roaring with classic passionfruit, basil, lush lemon and a shed-tonne (technical term) of citrus and fresh herbs. It’s zesty and vibrant and has vavoom up the wahzoo (another technical term). For all that, it’s pretty darn stylish and beautifully balanced. Yum!" 4.5 Stars, Yvonne Lorkin, NZ