Alpine Rift - Sauvignon Blanc 2023
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Item# 71092-23
Tasting notes
Alpine Rift Sauvignon Blanc is an elegant interpretation of the classic Marlborough style. Hints of nectarine, black currant leaf and passionfruit on the nose are underpinned by a ripe, richly textured palate and crisp, citrus finish. Fruit was sourced from three exceptional vineyards in Marlborough’s Southern Valley’s, Central Wairau Plains and Awatere Valley. A combination of heavier loess clay and free-draining, alluvial soils, naturally low yields and open canopies allowed the vines to ripen small, golden bunches of intensely flavored fruit.
Description
Nestled between the Southern Alps and the Pacific Ocean, Marlborough lies at the junction of a major geological faultline, a landscape shaped over millions of years. Mountains, thrust up over the millennia, provide shelter from wild westerly winds and the ancient glacial soils and cool, sunny maritime climate are integral to the distinctive style synonymous with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Alpine Rift Sauvignon Blanc carves a new path in refinement and elegance. Low-yielding fruit from some of Marlborough’s best vineyards is tempered with a portion of wild fermentation in old oak barrels, bringing a new level of richness and complexity to this crisp, classic style.
Vinification
Picked during the cooler hours of the day, before sunrise and after sunset, the fruit was harvested by machine and transported directly to the winery where it was gently pressed and cold settled for three days. The juice was racked to a combination of stainless-steel tanks and old French oak puncheons where a mix of cultured and indigenous ‘wild’ yeast were allowed to ferment the juice through to dryness. Each batch was left on lees and kept separate until May when the blend was assembled prior to bottling in July.
