Te Whare Ra TWR Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023

New Zealand, Awatere Valley

Sauvignon Blanc

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Description

Our aim with this, our classic style of Sauvignon Blanc, is to put 100% effort into making a wine that silences all the doubters and which restores faith in this region and the amazing quality of the wines from here.

This 2023 Sauvignon Blanc is a blend from specially selected vineyards in two different sub-regions of Marlborough and is all grown and made by The Flowerday Family. - 80% Awatere, 20% Wairau -11% of the blend is barrel fermented (large, neutral oak) -Vegan and Vegetarian suitable

Awards

Vintage 2022

94 Points Bob Campbell MW

Smooth, seamless sauvignon with lemongrass, capsicum, lime, passionfruit and subtle mineral flavours. Refreshingly dry with a crisp, mouthwatering and lengthy finish. Refined and sophisticated wine. Drink 2022- 2026

93 Points – James Suckling

A more Sancerre-like sauvignon blanc with sliced green apples, spiced pears, crushed stones and some gooseberries. Medium to full body. Round mouth-feel and steely acidity. From organic & sustainably grown grapes.

94 Points – Sam Kim

A beautifully styled Sauvignon, showing Granny Smith apple, nectarine, lime peel and fig characters on the nose. The palate displays pristine fruit flavours with refined texture and zesty acidity, finishing lingering and mouth-watering. Wonderfully expressive and harmonious with true varietal intensity and vibrancy. At its best: now to 2029.

93 Points - Decanter

Fruit from 1979-planted vines in Wairau (valley) supplements the majority from cooler Awatere (valley), with 10% of the blend fermented and lees aged in for about nine months in large old oak barrels. Weighty yet vibrant with a textured palate of nutty pear and ripe guava alongside greener elderflower and tomato leaf notes. Mouthwatering acidity and a long citrus finish really refreshes. Drinking window 2023 – 2025

Vintage 2021

Cameron Douglas MS – 95 Points

Vibrant, pure fresh and varietal bouquet with aromas of sweet lemon and sage, red apple and fresh basil, white peach, quince and stone mineral complexity. Satin texture as the wine touches the palate with a core of fruit and contrasting youthful acid line. Salivating and slightly salty, mineral, plush and dry on the finish. Some of this wine is fermented in oak – delivery a layer of complexity and depth. A delicious wine, pure in expression, balanced, youthful and well made. Best drinking from 2021 through 2026+.

Sam Kim – 94 Points

A stunning expression of the variety showing kaffir lime, crunchy apple, nectarine, oatmeal and sweet basil aromas, it’s powerful and deliciously flavoured in the mouth displaying excellent focus and persistency. Offering fabulous fruit purity and punchy intensity, this is upfront and splendidly drinkable. 77% Awatere, 23% Wairau; 14% barrel ferment. At its best: now to 2029.

Bob Campbell MW – 93 points

A blend of 77% Awatere and 23% Wairau fruit. States 14% is barrel-fermented. Fresh, punchy sauvignon blanc with mouth-watering capsicum, grapefruit, ginger and passionfruit flavours and a pleasing texture. Drink 2021–2025

for 2020 vintage.

95 points - Cameron Douglas MS

93 points - Bob Campbell MW

93 points - The Wine Advocate

93 points - www.jamesuckling.com Nick Stock (NZ report)

for 2019 vintage

91 points - Wine Enthusiast (Dec 2020)

95 points - Cameron Douglas MS

94 points - Sam Kim @ Wine Orbit

93 points - Mike Bennie @ The Wine Front

92 points - Bob Campbell MW

Certifications

Alcohol

13.5%

Analytical data

dry

2.5 g/l residual sugar

7.5 g/l acidity

3.25 pH

virtual visit to TWR

Vineyard

The growing conditions in the Awatere are characterised by cooler temperatures and slower ripening than in the Wairau, which is all important for flavour development and ripe acidity. The wines from this sub-region tend to be more restrained in their youth but have great texture, structure and longevity. Our Te Whare Ra home block experiences the warmer days of the Wairau Valley and a bigger diurnal range. These climatic factors combined with our clay loam soil here, results in wines which have great texture and fleshiness and are characterised by riper tropical notes with stone-fruit with a lovely line of minerality.

Pruning: cane

Vinification

The Awatere parcels of fruit for this wine were select machine picked and the Wairau portion was hand-picked and hand-sorted. The free-run and soft pressings parcels were combined for fermentation. The majority of the parcels underwent slow, cool fermentation in stainless, with 11% of the blend fermented at warmer temps in older French oak demi-muids. All parcels spent time on fine lees, post ferment for texture. This wine has not been fined and is suitable for vegans and vegetarians and anyone else who loves authentic, hand-made wines.

Was malolactic fermentation used: no

Was high-solid fermentation used: no

Bottling

Closure: Screw top

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