Stoneleigh Riesling 2011
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2003-
Spectator
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Stoneleigh is a brand as unique as the vibrant wine they make. It’s a story of sun charged stones ripening their grapes with extraordinary richness and vibrancy of flavor that inspires wine lovers to choose them. Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc is 100% Sustainable and 100% Vegan. Their passion for nature inspires everything they do, from their winemaking philosophy of minimal intervention to their ancient Sunstones.
Sourced from the premium sub-region of the Wairau Valley in Marlborough, Stoneleigh wine expresses unique terroir characteristics only found in the Wairau Valley. Distinctive sunstones and stone-studded soils of their vineyards create a wine style that is fresh, crisp and vibrant. Stoneleigh’s terroir enriches their wines in a way that only nature can. The flavor of Stoneleigh.
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
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.