2022 Tohu Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc
Regular price £14.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Sourced entirely from vineyards located in Marlborough’s stunning Awatere Valley, this vibrant wine displays aromas of ripe tropical fruit and passionfruit with lifted notes of currant and tomato leaf.
The concentrated palate is layered with flavours of sweet juicy pineapple, pink grapefruit, fresh green apple and hints of black olive. With herbal notes and a zesty minerality, this wine leads to a pure, lively and focused dry finish that has both freshness and length.
Viticulture
Grapes for this wine are sourced from blocks located in the upper, mid, and lower areas of the Awatere Valley. The Awatere Valley is cooler, drier and windier overall than other sub-regions of Marlborough, with a longer and cooler growing season. These climatic factors combined with vineyards located on young, fertile river terraces result in distinctive wines with a mineral drive and fruit-forward flavours. The 2018/2019 growing season in the Awatere began with unsettled weather resulting in lower yields overall, however a warm and dry summer with perfect growing conditions. grapes were able to be picked at optimal ripeness over harvest resulting in a wine with outstanding aromatics, palate weight and texture.
Vinification
Select blocks from the Awatere Valley are harvested using modern machine harvesters allowing ultimate extraction of flavour and aroma compounds from the skins of the grapes. Once at the winery the grapes are pressed into stainless steel tanks for cold settling, before being gently racked and inoculated with select yeasts chosen to naturally enhance the aromatic and flavour profiles of the wine.
Fermentation is carried out at cool temperatures allowing the wine to retain its bright aromas; with each batch fermentation typically lasting around 21 days. After fermentation is complete the wines are left to settle on their yeast lees for a short period before being racked again into stainless steel tanks for maturation. Meticulous classification of each batch results in a final blend that truly captures the exceptional characteristics of the vineyards. Once blended the resulting wine is stabilised and filtered without the need for fining, ready for bottling in mid-July 2019.
Producer
Tohu produces award-winning New Zealand wine crafted from grapes grown in our breathtakingly beautiful, Awatere Valley vineyard. When Tohu launched in 1998 we were the world's first Maori-owned wine company. Since then we’ve grown a reputation for producing premium wine in a range of varieties, winning awards for our Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Méthode Traditionnelle.
Alan's Tasting Notes
"I haven’t tasted this since it came in last year - and boy has it changed! Last year it was all fresh, clean, refreshing acidity and subdued fruit - but with some time in bottle all that citric acidity has died down and really lets the passion fruit and pineapple flavours we associate with Marlborough Sauvignon shine through - absolutely delicious.
I think this is now our best value New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Vegan & vegetarian too is a bonus!" March 2022
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | New Zealand |
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Units of alcohol per bottle | 9.8 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian Approved |
Food Matches |
Mussel fritters with lime zest, caper and fresh basil aioli |
Appellation | Marlborough |
2022 Waterkloof 'Circumstance' Sauvignon Blanc
Regular price £13.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Tasting Notes
Nose
Crushed laurel on the nose with more than a nuance of residual seaside salt.
Palate
This has a big and textured palate with stone fruit and fennel hints – it is rich and minerally, showing even a slight rocky quality about it. As bracing as the wind through the vines at Waterkloof.
Production
Living soils and a natural approach to winemaking means that each of the single-varietal wines in the Circumstance range is truly defined by the circumstances influencing the chosen varietal and vineyard blocks, including soil, aspect, altitude, and vintage. These factors combine to produce low yields, balanced grapes, and wines with a true sense of place. The Sauvignon Blanc is from three windswept, south-facing (less sun exposure) blocks 270-300m above and a mere 2 miles from The Atlantic. The vines are 20 years old and production was a miserly 4 tons per hectare. Waterkloof follows a traditional, minimalistic approach in their gravitational cellar which means interfering as little as possible with the winemaking process. This allows the flavours prevalent in that specific vineyard to ultimately express themselves in the wine. To achieve this goal, all grapes are whole-bunch pressed, which ensures that juice is extracted in the gentlest way. The juice is then settled naturally for 24 hours. Naturally present wild yeast is employed to ferment the juice, mainly in old 600litre barrels (90%). This leads to a longer fermentation process with a slow release of aromas and a more structured palate. The natural fermentation process took 7-8 months to complete, after which the wine was left on the gross less for another 6 months. There are no added acid or enzymes during the winemaking process, with only a light filtration and a small addition of sulphur added as a preservative prior to bottling.
Awards
- The Wine Merchant Top 100 2019 - 2017 Vintage
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content | 14% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.1 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Features | Vegetarian, Vegan, Sustainable, Natural |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | Ideal with fresh oysters or fresh crayfish on the grill. Great with a goat's cheese too. |
Origin | Stellenbosch |
Appellation | South Africa |
2022 Emiliana Animalia (Orange Wine) Organic
Regular price £14.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Emiliana have ventured into the world of orange wines, this being a Sauvignon Blanc fermented on skins. Really successful and has some Casablanca typicity to it.
Tasting Notes
Colour & Nose
Golden orange in colour and aromas of ripe stone fruits, figs and dried herbs on the nose.
Palate
Where as most Orange wines anonymise varietal, Animalia actually has a grassy Sauvignon tange beneath the Orange structure. Clever, tasty stuff from Emiliana.
Production
This Orange wine is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes from the Casablanca Valley where the vineyards are strongly influenced by the Pacific Ocean and the Humboldt Current. With high humidity rates, its average temperatures reach 25°C in summer and 14°C in winter. The grapes were destemmed and crushed, and left with their skins. They fermented in concrete tanks at approximately 18º C, soft punch downs obtained a subtle extraction. Once the fermentation was finished, the wine was aged in concrete eggs for five months with the skins. After that, it was prepared for bottling.
Producers
Voted by Wines of Chile as "Winery of the Year 2016", Emiliana is one of Chile's most exciting producers and pioneers in organic and biodynamic winemaking. Since 1998, this Chilean winery has been producing award-winning wines from almost 1,000 hectares of vineyards in prime sites including Casablanca, Maipo, Cachapoal, Colchagua and Bio Bio.
Its spectacular biodynamic vineyard and winery at Los Robles is a model that attracts visiting viticulturalists and winemakers from across the world. Emiliana's innovative and natural-leaning wines are made with great care and attention and the results are inspiring.
Accolades
- Silver at the IWC 2022 (for the 2021 Vintage)
Alan's Personal Tasting Notes
"After 40 years tasting wines there’s not many wines I taste now that gives me an instant buzz - but this does - fresh and clean with stone fruit flavours and a herbal touch. Most orange wines I’ve tasted have a very pure, anonymous edge to them but this is different - great flavour, huge intensity and a texture to die for. It’s a Boutinot wine from Emiliana Wines in Chile. A stunning intro to orange wine at an affordable price point - defo worth a try!" August 2022
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | Chile |
Alcohol content | 13% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.5 units |
Type | Orange Wine |
Features | Vegetarian, Vegan, Organic, Sustainable |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Food Matches | This is a versatile wine that makes a great pairing with cheeses and charcuterie. It can also be served to match with white meats and fish. |
Origin | Casablanca Valley |
Appellation | D.O. Valle De Casablanca |
Sunny with a Chance of Flowers Sauvignon Blanc (Zero Sugar and Low Cal)
Regular price £12.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%85 Calories | Zero Sugar | 9% Alcohol | Gluten Free | Vegan Friendly | Certified Sustainable
Moderation has never tasted so good! Sunny with a Chance of Flowers is a balanced lifestyle wine created to make you feel good inside and out. Zero sugar, low alcohol, low calorie and positively delicious, it seems too good to be true. But Sunny is the real deal – better for you and mindfully made. Sustainably farmed and produced by our family-owned winery in Monterey County, California, moderation has never tasted so good!
Tasting Notes
Like a genuine smile, our Sunny Sauvignon Blanc is refreshing, joyful and carefree.
Our Positively Sauvignon Blanc bursts with flavors of guava, crushed pineapple and ruby grapefruit. It’s as refreshing as a genuine smile and as carefree as a summer breeze.
Winemaking
Winemaker Casey Di Cesare likes to say that flavours are made in the vineyard. That’s why our grapes are left to hang on the vine to reach full maturity and flavor development before harvesting. Upon arrival at our estate winery, the grapes are crushed and fermented to dryness, resulting in zero residual sugar. Using proprietary technology, the alcohol is gently pulled from a portion of the wine. The result? A mindfully made wine that is zero sugar, 9% alcohol and 85 calories per serving (about 30% fewer calories than an average serving).
Alan's Personal Tasting Notes
"One of the best low-calorie wines I've ever tasted!" August 2022
Specifications
Year | 2021 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | United States of America |
Alcohol content
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9% alc vol
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Units of alcohol per bottle | 6.75 units |
Type | White Wine |
Calories |
85 |
Sugar |
0g |
Food Matches | Perfectly pairs with vibrant summer salads, goat cheese crostini, cauliflower crust Hawaiian pizza and the sunny moments in life. |
Origin | California |
Appellation | Monterey County |
2019 Michael Opitz Buddy Talk White
Regular price £13.75 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%No Tricks, Just Wine
Buddy Talk White is a wine for every occasion. Unobtrusive, adaptable and flattering. Organic.
Tasting Notes
The quintessence of the Seewinkel region. Combines the typical white grape varieties of the region in one harmonious, fruity, charming cuvée. A companion for hot summer days, which also gives pleasure in the winter. Simply casual.
Buddy Talk is made from a unique combination of Muskat Ottonel, Muskateller and Sauvignon Blanc grapes. It is made with minimal intervention and is the quintessence of the Seewinkel region, combining the typical white grape varieties of the region in one harmonious, fruity, charming cuvée. Tart, crisp and nice citrus and tropical fruit.
Producer
Modest Michael Opitz feels passionately about sustainability and quality and so decided to take the small family winery into being organic and as natural as possible on every level. All the wines are defined by their environment. The Neusiedlersee or Seewinkel is a saltwater lake that, in this flat, warm part of Austria, brings tempering breezes, freshness and protection from disease. The wines as a result are tremendously pure, fresh, fragrant and yet salty.
Alan's Personal Tasting Notes
Specifications
Year | 2019 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 50% Muskat Ottonel 35% Gelber Muskateller 15% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | Austria |
Alcohol content | 12% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9 units |
Type | White Blend |
Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information | Certified Organic, Vegan and Vegetarian approved, Biodynamic |
Food Matches | As an aperitif with baked cod and a potato salad or simply on its own! |
Origin | Burgenland |
2020 MOKOBlack Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough
Regular price £12.50 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Nose
Zesty citrus with white stone fruits.
Palate
Luscious, abundant gooseberry aromas follow through onto the palate where it explodes with a full on citrus zing that is balanced by fantastic texture. The finish is clean, crisp and refreshing.
Production
The wine is dominated by 50% Awatere Valley fruit, with vineyards located on both sides of the river in three sub-regions. Soils on the south bank are deep silt loams and fertile, while the north bank sites are stony, shallow silt loams, and lighter in structure.
A dry and windy climate in this valley leads to small, thick-skinned berries with an emphasis on herbal intensity. Wairau Valley sites in the Rapaura district and the Southern Valleys make up much of the rest of the blend. These are warmer areas, and the soils vary between deep fertile loams, gravelly alluvium and clays. Fruit from these sites is often more tropical, with some ripe citrus characters.
Vines are all managed with vertical shoot positioning, and pruned to leave balanced bud numbers and crop levels consistent with individual site capacity. Picking decisions are made entirely on flavour, skin-contact is minimised and cool fermentations with neutral yeast in stainless steel tanks preserve the crisp, fresh varietal nature of the fruit.
Specifications
Year | 2020 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | New Zealand |
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Units of alcohol per bottle | 9.4 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian Approved |
Food Matches |
The bright, crisp Sauvignon is a perfect match with all sea beasties from delicate freshly caught seafood to rich and meaty barbecued king prawns. |
Appellation | Marlborough |
2022 Baleia Sauvignon Blanc
Regular price £14.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Baleia is Portuguese for whale and the striking labels are inspired by St Sebastian Bay, the Whale Nursery of South Africa.
Discover a place of whales and wonder, where wines are born from rocky limestone soil in a remote and unspoilt corner of the Cape South Coast.
Here vines overcome fierce elements to create fruit with singular character and depth of flavour. Beyond evocative wine, Baleia is also about finding harmony between self, others and nature in pursuit of life's perfect equilibrium.
Tasting Notes
Pale, greenish gold. Reflecting classic aromas of elderberry flower and green fig on the nose.
Lovely juicy, tropical fruits such as litchi, forrel pear and a hint of sea mist. The lush balanced palate entertains with granadilla, guava and a Prickly pear.
Winemaking Philosophy
Making Sauvignon Blanc one is often faced with the temptation of making something frivolous, upfront and flirty which results in very upfront wines that lack a sense of place. With Baleia, they have chosen to take the road less travelled by choosing texture and minerality from the site to portray the beauty of the terroir.
Vineyard Philosophy
Baleia believes that living soils = strong roots = healthy vines = perfectly ripened fruit. They believe that through science and meticulous farming with attention to the details, they can produce grapes that truly reflect the terroir in which they are grown.
Vintage Notes
The 2022 vintage was characterised by heavy winter rains and a wet Spring which resulted in optimum reserve build-up. A drier flowering and ripening period ensured for a decent crop size.
Accolade
- Jancis Robinson 16.5 points
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | South Africa |
Alcohol content | 11.8% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 8.85 units |
Type | White Wine |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Origin | St Sebastian Bay, Cape South Coast |
Appellation | Western Cape |
2023 Tiki Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, North Canterbury
Regular price £14.79 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Colour
A delicate, pale green/gold.
Nose
Passionfruit driven on the nose, this wine presents with soft acidity across the palate, showing tropical notes of lemongrass and grassy flavours.
Palate
A rich and complex wine with a lovely balanced finish, range of flavour and length.
Vintage
The La Niña weather pattern was the dominating influence of our 2023 growing season, which brought less hot North-westerly winds, normally a mainstay of our season, and replaced them with regular cooling Easterly winds. The start to spring was cool with temperatures below average. Despite that, as the season progressed, temperatures picked up and we experienced good flowering conditions, resulting in a healthy and balanced crop. Summer saw us experience 30+ degree days mixed in with considerably colder spells. Over Autumn we experienced more of the same, with temperatures fluctuating between spells of beautiful warm sunny days, followed regularly by cold southerlies.
These weather patterns, while presenting a challenge, meant the team started picking later allowing for sugar levels to rise. Minimal rain over this time meant the fruit could be held on the vine allowing it to reach our desired levels of ripeness.
Winemaking
The fruit was harvested at maximum flavour as assessed through frequent tasting in the vineyard by the winemaker. We picked across the vineyard at different times and degrees of ripeness to allow the individual cuvees a range of site expression. Extended skin contact time was used prior to crushing to enhance extraction of the aromatic compounds. The fruit was then very gently pressed to avoid harsh phenolic extraction and the juice allowed to cold settle. The clear juice was fermented at low temperatures using a range of yeast renowned for their ability to enhance the Sauvignon Blanc aromas. A balanced amount of residual sugar was left in the wine to complement the acidity and to add palate weight and structure.
Awards & Accolades
- 17/20 Jancis Robinson
- 5 Stars (94 points) | Sam Kim Wine Orbit
Specifications
Year | 2023 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | New Zealand |
Alcohol content
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12.5% alc vol
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Units of alcohol per bottle | 9.38 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential |
2023-2025 – will continue to develop for a further 5 years |
Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
Food Matches |
Fresh grilled fish like calamari or swordfish, this wine is lovely with salmon flavoured with dill and recipes that include fresh herbs like basil, coriander, rocket and mint. |
Appellation | Waipara Valley, North Canterbury |
2022 Maui Sauvignon Blanc, North Canterbury
Regular price £13.49 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%Colour
A delicate, pale green/gold
Nose
Aromatically an intense wine showing classic Sauvignon Blanc aromas of gooseberry, nettle and dried herbs and minerality with an underlying citrus background.
Palate
Flavours of tropical fruit and herbal notes have been derived from the careful selection of various areas of our best blocks in the Waiata Vineyard situated in the Waipara Valley. The full flavours and tight structure of the palate reflect the intrinsic qualities of the Waipara Valley vineyard. The wine has been made with a moderate acidity level to complement the flavours and provide balance without dominating. A small amount of residual sugar enhances body and balance in what is a generous and complex wine.
Vintage
The 2022 Vintage in Waipara, North Canterbury was notable for the changeable weather, as was the case throughout several of the wine regions around New Zealand. On par with previous years, we did see a higher-than-average number of small rain events towards the end of the growing season. This year’s fruit has produced a flavoursome wine synonymous with our Maui Sauvignon Blanc.
Winemaking
The fruit was harvested at maximum flavour as assessed through frequent tasting in the vineyard by the winemaker. It was very gently pressed to avoid harsh phenolic extraction and the juice allowed to cold settle. The clear juice was fermented at low temperatures using a range of yeast renowned for their ability to enhance the Sauvignon Blanc aromas. A balanced amount of residual sugar was left in the wine to complement the acidity and add palate weight and structure.
Awards & Accolades
- 16.5/20 Jancis Robinson
- 5 Stars Sam Kim | Wine Orbit 2022
- 90 points Silver - IWC 2023
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | New Zealand |
Alcohol content
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12.5% alc vol
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Units of alcohol per bottle | 9.4 units |
Type | White Wine |
Cellaring Potential | 2022/2024 - will continue to develop for a further 5 years. |
Appellation | Waipara Valley, North Canterbury |
2022 Finca Ambrosia Casa Sauvignon Blanc
Regular price £14.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 117): Computation results in '-Infinity'%It is an expressive dry white wine with crisp acidity and great varietal typicity that are evident in every sip
6159 bottles produced
Tasting Notes
This Sauvignon Blanc is an expressive dry white wine with crisp acidity and great varietal typicity that are evident in every sip. Its clean fruit flavours of tropical mango and pineapple are not overpowering but instead complemented by moderate herbaceous undertones, making for a round and refreshing palate.
Vintage
2022 was a long and dry growing season of outstanding quality. Veering on the cooler side of average temperatures, yields were still plentiful, and grapes achieved ideal ripeness throughout a very long cycle. Rainfall was limited, but abundant glacial water and sporadic showers were timed perfectly to help the vine’s balance. After cooler autumn and ideal growing conditions in February and March, we were able to produce wines with remarkable quality.
History
It was the year 2002 when a group of friends decided to invest in Argentina. They knew little about wine production, but all were passionate wine lovers and excited about the vision of bringing Argentine wines to the world stage. They bought the land that would become Finca Ambrosia and set about turning their idea into reality. At this time, the Gualtallary district began to attract the interest of wine producers, primarily because of its outstanding soil and climate characteristics. Encouraged by the positive forecasts, the friends bought 3 more plots over the years, from which the current winery emerged. Today, Gualtallary is considered the best terroir for producing premium wines in the province of Mendoza.
Specifications
Year | 2022 |
Bottle Size | 750ml |
Cultivar | 100% Sauvignon Blanc |
Country | Argentina |
Alcohol content | 12.5% alc vol |
Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.4 units |
Type | White Wine |
Dietary Information | Organic, Sustainable |
Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
Origin | Gualtallary, Uco Valley |
Appellation | Mendoza |