Astrolabe Kekerengu Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2018

Aroma - Citrus pith, lime and grapefruit zest and hints of jasmine tea, fennel and basil.

Palate - A medium-bodied wine with flinty, almost salty notes, passion fruit flavours and a dry finish.

Free-draining stony, silty loam with some limestone. Standard trellis with vertical shoot positioning, pruned to two to four canes. Vines are closely trimmed, well tucked and lightly leaf plucked.

The 2017-2018 growing season was the warmest since the first grapes were planted in Marlborough in 1973. Temperatures were 1.1 degrees over the long-term average. It was wetter than normal January through March and made tricky by three extended rain events. A dry period between late February and late March helped the grapes get through in reasonable condition, and the health of the canopies ensured good flavour development.

Grapes were machine harvested in cool conditions, de-stemmed and lightly pressed with minimal skin contact. Clear juice was tank-fermented at low temperature using neutral yeast strains to allow the powerful fruit flavours to dominate. I blended in a sixteen percent portion of whole bunch pressed, high solids, and wild yeast barrel ferment to add subtle texture and complexity. Bottled 5 December 2018. We made three thousand, six hundred and twenty-two bottles.