Cable Bay Reserve Sauvingnon Blanc 2019

Papaya, gooseberry, vanilla and guava aromas all come together in a striking fusion with hints of flinty struck match. The palate has a lovely toasty backbone surrounded by zesty acidity, pith like phenolics and nice fruit weight through the mid-palate. The finish goes on and on for miles, I can still taste it now; 10 minutes later. This fumé blanc style sauvignon makes its own rules; the freshly pressed tuxedo might be a classic, but the shoes are Converse.

This Sauvignon Blanc is grown on a single vineyard site in our estate owned Awatere Valley Vineyard. A beautiful sub-region of Marlborough, it features natural terraces leading down to the Awatere River. The soils graduate from a heavy stony base to fine river silt. Typically, stony soil will provide wines with lifted aromatics while the river silt soils add weight and texture to the palate. The vines are closely planted, on these stony, low vigour soils and the region benefits from low rainfall. As a result the Sauvignon Blanc that grows here is low yielding, and of premium quality.

The ripe fruit was harvested early in the morning whilst the grapes were nice and cool, transported to the winery, and immediately pressed. The juice was allowed some air contact between press and tank to deepen the flavour profile. It was then cold settled and racked off its lees, leaving textural Sauvignon Blanc juice to enter wild yeast fermentation. Following barrel ferment, the wine aged in oak for 10months before assemblage. This is a fumé blanc style of sauvignon, reminiscent of the Loire Valley.

Wild fermented and matured in French oak for 10 months.