Winemaker Notes
The 2018 Reserve Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc displays succulent passionfruit, guava, pineapple and pink grapefruit aromas which are underscored by a fresh herbal element. Lush layers of sweet melon, tropical and yellow stone fruit flavors are complemented by an attractive minerality. The palate is full and rich with a moreish ripe acidity and lingering finish.
Perfect with creamy rock oysters or a Tomato, Feta and Basil Pasta.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Exotic notes of honeysuckle, lanolin and spice pave the way for succulent peach, mango and mandarin orange flavors. Impressively complex, with a supple texture and a long, expressive finish.
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Decanter
Flinty style overlaying a citrus, green and subtle tropical palate with a suggestion of oak and reasonable length and finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
This pale-yellow-hued Sauvignon shows a wealth of lemon peel, peach pit, snow pea and a touch of honey. The creamy mouthfeel is buoyed by prickly acidity, and the medley of fruit and vegetal notes sings in harmony, creating a sense of fluidity and length.
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.