Astrolabe Kēkerengū Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2020

TASTING NOTES

COLOUR/APPEARANCE Pale straw with green highlights.

AROMA/BOUQUET Citrus pith, lime and grapefruit zest and hints of jasmine tea, fennel and basil.

PALATE A medium-bodied wine with flinty, almost salty notes, passionfruit flavours and a dry finish.

AGING POTENTIAL This wine is enjoyable in its youth but will develop soundly in bottle.

FOOD PAIRING Raw oysters, tempura vegetables, delicate white fish like flounder and crayfish with lemongrass.

SAUVIGNON BLANC SERVING TEMPERATURE Chilled.

Climate: The 2019-2020 growing season was a little above average for temperature and growing degree days but cooler than the previous three seasons, which were all very high. The season was very dry, with only 43 mm (1.7 inches) of rain from 21 December to the end of harvest on 9 April. Budburst was five or six days early, and so was flowering. The dry season resulted in harvest coming in about ten days earlier than long term average. Where there was groundwater or drip irrigation, vines enjoyed good health and disease pressure was nil. Condition and health of the canopies ensured good flavour development. Soils: Free-draining stony, silty loam with some limestone. Vine Management: Standard trellis with vertical shoot positioning, pruned to two to four canes. Vines are closely trimmed, well tucked and lightly leaf plucked. Harvest Date: 3rd April and 6th April, 2020.

WINEMAKING 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 8th December 2020.