2023 Whitehaven Greg Sauvignon Blanc

VITICULTURE & VINIFICATION

Harvest Date: 30th – 31st March 2023

Varieties: 100% Sauvignon Blanc, MS clone.

Grape Growers: The Peter family, Alton Downs Vineyard, Awatere Valley.

Climate: Like 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 at low manageable levels. 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: We are proud to source the fruit for this wine from a single vineyard in the Awatere valley, a legacy that has continued for a number of years. Vines are cane pruned on a vertical shoot positioned trellis. Shoot thinning, leaf plucking, and trimming are used to achieve balanced vines, a healthy canopy and clean fruit. 

Winemaking: Fruit from Alton Downs Vineyard was machine harvested in the cool evening 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. Wine sat on light yeast lees in tank for up to 4 months. The wine has been heat and cold stabilised, and sterile filtered, prior to bottling.

ACCOLADES

• Sam Kim (Wine Orbit) - 95/100 points, 5 stars
• Bob Campbell, MW - 95/100 points, 5 stars
• John Bartlett, NZ Wine Directory - Excellent