Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc

Wither Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc shows benchmark characteristics; intense gooseberry, tomato leaf and bell pepper characters underpinned by the classically pungent melon, guava and passionfruit aromatics. The palate is extraordinarily balanced with bright seamless acidity, concentration of brambly, mineral lemongrass flavors and a long supple finish. A wine of remarkable intensity.

Winemaking Notes

Each of our 11 vineyard sites strategically sited throughout the Wairau Valley were harvested at optimum flavor ripeness. The fruit from these vineyards was kept separate throughout the winemaking process to ensure integrity of the vineyard and to provide the greatest possible number of blending combinations. The fruit was gently pressed, cold settled, racked and cool fermented with selected yeast strains to enhance the unique aromatics & flavors. After fermentation the wines remained on light yeast lees to enhance palate feel and structure. The wines were then racked, blended, filtered, and bottled to retain & capture the remarkable freshness of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

Wine Production Stats

Alcohol: 13%
Total Acidity: 7.3g/L
Brix: 20-23
Residual Sugar: 4.0 g/l
pH: 3.19

The 2009 growing season presented good weather from bud burst through to flowering and fruit set. This resulted in higher than average bunch numbers and excellent quality fruit. To increase the quality parameters and achieve optimum vine balance extensive green harvesting was undertaken – a job normally reserved for Pinot Noir only! This enabled Wither Hills to see some of the finest structured and flavored fruit harvested for some time. The cooler Jan-March period experienced was greater than we have seen in recent years and prolonged ripening. The most nervous period was the month of Feb where we had unseasonal warm westerly rain. This resulted in some of the earliest botrytis incidence amongst early ripening vineyard sites throughout the Wairau Valley. Luckily the traditional 'Indian Summer' prevailed through March and April to allow us to see the botrytis dry out and become a non contributing factor towards wine quality and ultimately another stunning year.

90 Points, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

"Pale, bright yellow. Musky nose dominated by ginger. Suave and juicy on the palate, with ripe citrus fruit and spice flowers complemented by a touch of sweetness. Builds nicely on the back half, finishing with subtle length. Combines very good depth with an attractive light touch. Nothing extreme about this nicely balanced wine. A STEAL AT THE PRICE." (2010 Vintage)

90 Points "Smart Buy"

Wine Spectator
"Wonderfully fleshy, with peach, apple, nectarine and citrus flavors that are ripe, lush and very refreshing. The details linger on the finish. Drink now." (2009 vintage)
- M.W.
- Dec 31, 2010