Sauvignon Blanc 2021 - Sur lie

From the heart of Marlborough but a world apart. Handcrafted in tiny quantities for an incomparable artisan Sauvignon/Semillon 'sur lie'. Untamed, with long skin contact for complexity and texture, 'wild' barrel fermentation without any additions and 20 months on the fine lees for its famous silkiness. Dry and explosively rich, the pinnacle of a stately Sauvignon Blanc. Vintage 2021

In our sandy, gravelly soils, grapes soak up the sun by day and find solace in Marlborough’s cool nights. The 2021 vintage, our smallest yet, is of exceptional quality. A cool spring limited fruit set, followed by a hot, dry summer that further reduced yields, resulting in an early harvest of intensely aromatic, concentrated grapes. Hans' Winemaking Comments

Gently destemmed with partly whole berries. Long, cold maceration to extract the flavours from the skins. After gentle pressing, the wine embarked upon a natural wild yeast fermentation to express it’s unique terroir in 500 litre French oak puncheons. The wine was left on its fine lees (sur lie), and regularly stirred for exquisite silkiness, complexity and depth. After 22 month of maturation in the puncheons, this wine was bottled with no cold stabilization or fining and only light filtration to retain the beautiful aromas. Tasting Note

Marlborough, yet a world apart, this Sauvignon Blanc rivals the finest Bordeaux Blancs. Full-bodied and poised, Sauvignon Blanc delivers vibrant aromatics and fresh acidity, while Sémillon adds body and silk. Ripe fruit sweetness of lychee, pineapple and honeydew melon is shaped by mineral tension from gravelly soils. Extended lees contact brings a seamless, silky texture, finishing with elegance, purity and quiet power. Technical Data Varieties 85% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Semillon Rootstock Riparia Gloire Vine Planted 1996 (grafted 2004) Soil Shallow (