Saint Clair Barrique Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Pale straw. Aroma:

Gooseberry and nashi pear characters seamlessly overlain with perfumed herbal notes of coriander and green coffee bean. Palate:

Creamy and textural with generous layers of ripe gooseberry and blackcurrant with a hint of tropical star fruit and green mango. Ageing:

A style of Sauvignon Blanc that has good ageing potential and will evolve in complexity and character over the next five years with careful cellaring. Winemaking and Viticulture Winemakers:

Stewart Maclennan Winemaking:

A hand crafted wine with greater winemaker influence than Saint Clair traditional terroir driven Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes were partly whole bunch pressed, briefly settled then racked into seasoned French and American oak barriques. Some barrels fermented naturally and some inoculated with a selected yeast strain. Post fermentation the wine was aged on its lees for ten months, with regular barrel stirring to facilitate yeast autolysis. During this time the wine underwent partial malolactic fermentation. Each barrel was tasted regularly by the winemaking team and only the very best and most interesting barrels were selected for the final blend. Viticulture:

Carefully selected rows of vines within a-few of Saint Clair’s best vineyards in the lower Wairau subregion of Marlborough were utilised for this wine. The soils are nutrient rich and free draining. The maritime climate and close proximity to the sea create a high diurnal temperature resulting in a long ripening period. The fruit was left to hang a week longer than the fruit for Saint Clair’s traditional Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes were partially hand harvested, selecting only the highest quality bunches. Wine Analysis Wine Analysis:

Alcohol 13% v/v

Residual sugar 1.2/litre

Acidity 6.5g/litre

pH 3.28 Food Match Our Food Match Recommendation:

Crafted to beautifully complement food. The textural palate, clean luscious flavours, and hint of spice in this wine will enhance any culinary experience. Tasting Notes PDF to open the 2021 tasting notes as a PDF. Previous Vintages Tasting Notes:

2020 - 2017 - 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 Awards & Accolades

GOLD MEDAL - Aotearoa Regional Wine Competition, 2024

SILVER MEDAL - Decanter World Wine Awards, 2024

SILVER MEDAL - International Wine Challenge, 2024

SILVER MEDAL - International Wine Show, 2023

SILVER MEDAL - Marlborough Wine Show, 2023

93/100 - James Suckling, 2024
Very pretty aromas of sliced apples and lemons with hints of flint and dried white flowers. Medium-bodied with a very fine texture and a classy finish. Refined and very beautiful.