Winemaker Notes
On release the colour is pale lemon. Tropical aromas commence the fanfare, a salvo of guava, pineapple and melon leading the way. Layered beneath are nuances of grapefruit, honeysuckle, crushed herbs, and a wisp of struck match. The palate is richly textured, backed by crisp acidity and a simmering phenolic drive that delivers outstanding weight and structure. A prolonged and sophisticated finish completes the union, adding further complexity and length.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Intense notes of flint, toast, beeswax, burnt lemons, pineapples, guavas and grilled herbs. It's medium- to full-bodied with tangy acidity and a waxy texture. Lengthy with excellent concentration.
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Vinous
The 2020 Sauvignon Semillon is always a little unusual at first on the nose, offering up a distinctive aroma of perm mixture, struck match and flowers and the 2020 is no different. It's likely the result of fermenting cloudy juice with wild yeast. The palate is dry with plenty of extract and a sense of innate power within a honed core. It is firm and focused with texture and weight thanks to the Semillon portion (30%). The Semillon ferments in oak puncheons and is left for 10 months on lees, while half of the Sauvignon Blanc matures on skins for more than 6 months. This is a complex, layered white Bordeaux blend. It may be interesting to see how this one cellars.
Sometimes light and crisp, other times rich and creamy, Bordeaux White Blends typically consist of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Often, a small amount of Muscadelle or Sauvignon Gris is included for added intrigue. Popularized in Bordeaux, the blend is often mimicked throughout the New World. Somm Secret—Sauternes and Barsac are usually reserved for dessert, but they can be served before, during or after a meal. Try these sweet wines as an aperitif with jamón ibérico, oysters with a spicy mignonette or during dinner alongside hearty Alsatian sausage.
A relatively young but extremely promising wine producing country, New Zealand is widely recognized for its distinctive white wines made from the aromatic, Sauvignon blanc.
The world’s most southerly vineyards are found here, with significant climatic variation both between and within the warmer North Island and the cooler South Island. Overall, the climate is maritime, with plenty of rainfall, as well as abundant sunshine. Producers have almost unilaterally embraced cutting-edge winery technology, resulting in clean, high-quality New Zealand wines at every price point from wallet-friendly to premium.
Sauvignon blanc, known here for its trademark herbaceous character, is at its best in Marlborough but thrives throughout the nation, accounting for an overwhelming majority of the country’s exports. While this is indeed the country’s most planted and successful variety, it is certainly not the only New Zealand grape capable of delighting wine lovers.
Chardonnay is the second-most important white variety and takes on a supple texture with citrus and tropical fruit aromas in Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay, respectively. Pinot noir, second behind Sauvignon blanc in national production numbers, is at its best in Central Otago—the most southerly winegrowing region in the world! These New Zealand wines are known for bright and juicy red fruit. Taking cues from the wines of Alsace, aromatic varieties like Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewürztraminer shine in Martinborough, while red wine Bordeaux varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have found success in Hawke’s Bay. Throughout New Zealand but especially in Marlborough, Pinot noir and Chardonnay are used to produce traditional method sparkling NZ wines.