Winemaker Notes
Alpine Rift Sauvignon Blanc is an elegant interpretation of the classic Marlborough style. Hints of nectarine, black currant leaf and passionfruit on the nose are underpinned by a ripe, richly textured palate and crisp, citrus finish. Fruit was sourced from three exceptional vineyards in Marlborough’s Southern Valley’s, Central Wairau Plains and Awatere Valley. A combination of heavier loess clay and free-draining, alluvial soils, naturally low yields and open canopies allowed the vines to ripen small, golden bunches of intensely flavored fruit.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Aromas such as rain on gravel, meadow grass, and honeyed pear are subtle and gentle. The palate is crisp yet packed with richness and pizzazz. Notes of oregano and gooseberry ride on a wave of crunchy, fine acidity.
Nestled between the Southern Alps and the Pacific Ocean, Marlborough lies at the junction of a major geological faultline, a landscape shaped over millions of years. Mountains, thrust up over the millennia, provide shelter from wild westerly winds and the ancient glacial soils and cool, sunny maritime climate are integral to the distinctive style synonymous with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Alpine Rift Sauvignon Blanc carves a new path in refinement and elegance. Low-yielding fruit from some of Marlborough’s best vineyards is tempered with a portion of wild fermentation in old oak barrels, bringing a new level of richness and complexity to this crisp, classic style.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
An icon and leading region of New Zealand's distinctive style of Sauvignon blanc, Marlborough has a unique terroir, making it ideal for high quality grape production (of many varieties). Despite some common generalizations, which could be fairly justified given that Marlborough is responsible for 90% of New Zealand's Sauvignon blanc production, the wines from this region are actually anything but homogenous. At the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island, the vineyards of Marlborough benefit from well-draining, stony soils, a dry, sunny climate and wide temperature fluctuations between day and night, a phenomenon that supports a perfect balance between berry ripeness and acidity.
The region’s king variety, Sauvignon blanc, is beloved for its pungent, aromatic character with notes of exotic tropical fruit, freshly cut grass and green bell pepper along with a refreshing streak of stony minerality. These wines are made in a wide range of styles, and winemakers take advantage of various clones, vineyard sites, fermentation styles, lees-stirring and aging regimens to differentiate their bottlings, one from one another.
Also produced successfully here are fruit-forward Pinot noirs (especially where soils are clay-rich), elegant Riesling, Pinot gris and Gewürztraminer.