Winemaker Notes
"Seresin, under the capable guidance of winemaker Brian Bicknell, continues to turn out exemplary Sauvignon Blanc. The 2005 is a great success, boasting sexy aromas of ripe peaches, gooseberries and pink grapefruit, all touched with a hint of honey. Nectarine and pink grapefruit flavors seem made for each other on the plump but not soft palate, while the finish features excellent length and intensity. A benchmark Marlborough Sauvignon." ~ Wine Enthusiast
All three Seresin vineyards are managed organically, two being the only ones in all of Marlborough to be BioGro certified. Some 200 people apply annually for the jobs of hand-picking an impressive array of grape varieties – Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Semillon, Gewürztraminer and Riesling -which are all hand-sorted before being whole-bunch pressed. Portions of the grapes are then naturally fermented using indigenous yeasts to give greater interest to the resulting wine. Out in the field, there are ‘cow pat pits' for batching up biodynamic preparations. Along with the manure, ingredients include valerian, nettle, chamomile, dandelion and oak bark.
Professional Ratings
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.