Craggy Range Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2003

This wine was made entirely from grapes grown on the sheltered lower terrace of our Te Muna Road Vineyard. This terrace, adjacent to the Huangarua River, is an old bed of this river and is made up of deep stony soils with various layers of sand silt a clay amongst the stones. The greywacke stones predominate however in places there are significant numbers of limestone rocks that have eroded from the adjacent hills over time. This combination of soils is unique in New Zealand.

In its youth the wine is moderate straw in colour with green tints. Aromas are reserved and quite exotic with hints of lime, peach, honeysuckle, passionfruit and gooseberry. Even in this cool year there is not a hint of greenness. Flavours are exuberant as is often the case with young vines. Ripe flavours of sweet gala apples, lime and rich tropical fruits predominate in a lush textured style with a long dry grainy finish. The presence of this grainy texture is particularly encouraging as this is not often found in young vines. The wine will drink superbly when young, some 12 to 18 months after vintage.