2020 Greywacke Wild Sauvignon Blanc

This 2020 Wild Sauvignon is a weighty style with lots of floral character. It is ripe and focused with gently refreshing, rather than racy acidity. Thanks to barrel fermentation (only 7% of which were new), it is rounded and curved, with layers and nuance. It's a delightful, succulent yet precise style that should turn Chardonnay fans on to Sauvignon Blanc.

Full bottle 1,301 g. Selected for the inaugural Appellation Marlborough Collection 2022. Certified Sustainable NZ Winegrowing. Fruit was sourced from various vineyard sites in the Southern Valleys and the central Wairau Plains, specifically in Woodbourne, Renwick and Rapaura. Soil types vary from the young alluvial deposits of Rapaura and Renwick, which contain high proportions of greywacke river stones, to the older and denser clay-loams of the Southern Valleys. A high percentage of the vineyards were trained using the divided Scott Henry canopy-management system, with the balance on two- or three-cane VSP (vertical shoot positioning). Some vineyards were harvested by machine during cool (often cold) night-time conditions and others by hand during the day. The grapes were lightly pressed to yield a modest volume of high-quality juice, which was then cold-settled prior to racking into French oak barriques, a small percentage of which were new. The juice was allowed to undergo spontaneous fermentation, the tail end of which continued for well over six months. The wine had occasional lees stirring and approximately two-thirds underwent malolactic fermentation. It was transferred out of oak prior to the following harvest and left on yeast lees for a further five months. The wine was bottled in September 2021. TA 6.3 g/l, pH 3.16.   Gorgeously complex aroma that retains Sauvignon's grassy character but has so much more, including notes of struck flint, smokiness and a hint of lees-creaminess. It also has terrific mouth-watering acidity (even though the TA is far from the highest in this line-up) allied to a rich, deep texture and a savoury, mealy oak impression. Wow, this is stunning, pure Sauvignon meets sophisticated winemaking and an attractive grip on the finish. (JH)

A slightly warmer than average season. Very youthful with what seems like vanilla note, though this quickly disappears. But also lovely fresh ripe green fruits. Super-fresh and mouth-watering. Dry and lightly textured, then more deeply textured as it warms up. A kind of peppery energy. (JH)