Grande Sauvignon 2021

Not one bound by convention, The Marlborist Grande Sauvignon is a bold departure from the classic Marlborough style.

Fermented entirely with naturally occurring yeast in a mixture of old French oak barrels and puncheons, it is an alternative style of sauvignon blanc with an alluring array of gooseberry, candied pineapple and golden-fleshed nectarines with hints of brioche and nougat. This is a moreish wine with a rich, creamy palate underpinned by a long, citrus finish.

In order to retain maximum flavour and mouthfeel we have chosen to bottle this wine without fining or filtration.

Fruit was sourced from a selection of exceptional sites around Marlborough, specifically Renwick, Rapaura and the Southern Valleys. Largely grown on river terraces where young, alluvial soils overlay large deposits of greywacke stone, the combination of free-draining soils and naturally low yields allowed the vines to ripen small, golden bunches of intensely flavoured fruit.

Picked primarily by hand over a week-long period towards the end of March, a small portion was also harvested by machine in the cool hours before sunrise. The grapes were transported directly to the winery where they were gently pressed and cold settled for three days.

The juice was racked to a mixture of old French oak barrels and puncheons and left to spontaneously ferment by indigenous, ‘wild’ yeast, a process that took several months to complete. Occasional lees stirring and a full malolactic fermentation occurred before the wine was transferred out of oak after 11 months, just in time for the 2022 harvest.

Each batch was left on lees and kept separate until May when the blend was assembled and then settled prior to bottling in July.