Winemaker Notes
Pale lemon straw color. The nose is abundant with kaffir lime leaf and subtle tropical notes. The palate is electric. The hallmark saline acid of Te Muna and a pithiness to the fruit giving succulence and enhanced drinkability. Potentially the greatest release of this wine by Craggy Range to date.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Aromatic and complex, this white shows off pure white and ruby grapefruit, lemongrass, passionfruit and dried pineapple flavors at the core, but details of matcha, sea salt, fresh-grated ginger and toasted mint are what make an impression on the long, sleek, juicy and expressive finish.
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Tasting Panel
Fresh, clean, and juicy, with racy acidity and layers of flavor; charming and long.
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Vinous
The pungent, plush 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Te Muna Road Vineyard (Martinborough) offers up layers of both grassy and elderflower flavors in combination with a tropical fruit salad. It's sweetly fruited and ripe, presenting a rich mouthful of Sauvignon-ness. A small portion of barrel-fermented fruit has rounded the edges, and the fragrant finish is fresh yet ripe. A little more length would be welcome; this may have something to do with the addition of younger vines from new plantings. Drink in youth for its fruity freshness.
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.
Part of the Wairarapa region in the southern end of the country’s North Island, Martinborough is a bucolic appellation full of artisan, lifestyle wine producers. Above all else, their goals are to tend vineyards for low yields and create wines of supreme quality. Pinot noir is the main grape variety here, occupying over half of the land under vine.
Comparing topography, climate and soils, the region is nearly identical to Marlborough except that it produces top quality reds on the regular.