New Zealand
Forrest Estate The Doctors’ Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Marlborough, New Zealand 8.99
100% Sauvignon Blanc from vines grown on silty Wairau River free-draining gravels from a cool, late-ripening site. Since the 2009 vintage, Forrest have undertaken a series of experiments within the vineyard aimed at slowing sugar accumulation without inhibiting flavour development to make a 9.5% alc wine, achieving an approximate 2 brix - 1% alcohol reduction at the same flavour profile. Grapes were machine-harvested, bag-pressed directly to tank, then fermented at 15°C with selected yeasts for 2 weeks. Winemaker John
Forrest. Alc 9.5%, TA 8.7g/l, pH 3.0, RS 15g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 213 branches.
Very catty nose. Sweet, fruity wine. I think I’d have put this in South Africa. It has lemony acidity and a catty aftertaste. Note, the alcohol is only 9.5%.
Cowrie Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Marlborough, New Zealand 6.79
85% Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (with the balance made up of Chardonnay). The majority of the fruit was sourced from Coastal Wairau
and Central Wairau Valley and these low cropping components showed ripe tropical notes. 14% of the Sauvignon fruit from the cooler Awatere Valley adds herbal, aromatic green character. Grapes were machine-harvested in April with an average yield of 70hl/ha. The juice was cold-settled prior to controlled cool-fermentation in stainless steel tanks using cultured yeasts, with no oak influence. Bulk-shipped and UK bottled. Winemaker Mike Just. Alc 12.1%, TA 8.1g/l, pH 3.42, RS 3.8g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 264 branches.
That’s better. This smells of NZ SB. Gooseberry, elder, asparagus. Tangy, dry and sharp. Exactly as it should be. Great price.
The Ned Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Waihopai River, Marlborough, New Zealand 9.99
100% Sauvignon Blanc. A cooler start to the Marlborough growing season was followed by a long warm Indian summer which allowed the vines to find their natural balance with minimal intervention from the viticulture team. Vines are caned-pruned and planted at a density of 2,500vines/ha on ancient riverbed free-draining soils. The fruit was fermented in stainless steel tanks with temperature control and yeast strains carefully selected for their compatibility with Sauvignon Blanc. Alc 13.0%, TA 7.8g/l, pH 3.25, RS 3.5g/l. DWWA Gold and IWC Silver Medal Winner. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 285 branches.
Floral and with gooseberry aroma. Good taste. Dry, sharp and with a clean, pure elder aftertaste. Good.
Ara Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Marlborough, New Zealand 9.99
100% Sauvignon Blanc grown on the ancient soils of Ara’s single estate in the coolest reaches of Marlborough’s Wairau Valley. The grape harvest took place with a combination of machine and hand-picking, extending from the middle of March into the latter half of April. Early and later picks of the blend components contributed to the contrast of herbaceous ripeness. The different parcels were fermented separately with long slow cool ferments. The wine was aged on yeast lees prior to racking, blending and fining. Winemaker Jeff Clarke. Suitable for vegetarians. Alc 13%, TA 7.5g/l, pH 3.2, RS 3.0 g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 228 branches.
A bit stinky. A hint of fizz. Tart, dry and typical. The Ned just pips this one.
Waitrose Chilean Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Aconcagua Valley, Chile 7.99
100% Sauvignon Blanc produced in partnership with Viña Valdivieso, with the blend made in conjunction with Waitrose buyer Nick Room. The bunches were destemmed, not crushed, and pressed immediately. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks, and the temperature was carefully controlled. After the alcoholic fermentation, there was no malolactic fermentation, though the wine was left on light fermentation lees, which were stirred once a week. Alc 12.7%, TA 5.86g/l, pH 3.2, RS 2.17g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine
Direct and 240 branches.
Ripe, sweet, gooseberry nose. Dry and pleasant enough. Not good enough for a NZ SB obsessive. I know a few.
Boekenhoutskloof Porcupine Ridge Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Western Cape, South Africa 7.99
98% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Semillon, made by acclaimed winemaker Marc Kent with fruit sourced from the Malmesbury, Robertson and Stellenbosch regions. Reductive winemaking practices were employed, protecting the unstable methoxypyrazine flavours from oxidation. Cool temperatures were maintained throughout the fermentation process to capture the more tropical flavours. Stored on lees for 3 months. Alc 12.5%, TA 6.4g/l, pH 3.41, RS 1.8g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 257 branches.
Creamy, fruity nose. Pithy and varietally correct, but a bit green.
David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner Semillon 2009 Elim, South Africa 14.99
100% Semillon from a 1.5 hectare south-facing vineyard on Bokkeveld slate and gravel soils. Vines are 8 years old and harvest took place on the 3rd March 2009 with a yield of 5tonnes/ha. Skin contact for 8 hours and only the free run juice was used. Cold fermentation in stainless steel tanks at 12°C for 70% of the final blend with the remaining 30% fermented in new 300l French oak barrels. Matured in medium toast Allier oak for 4 months. Winemaker David Nieuwoudt. Alc 13.0%, TA 6.9g/l, pH 3.1, RS 2.7g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 7 branches.
Wow! There’s a wonderful nose. It is absolutely alive. This has something of the sauvignon about it. Very green, pithy and grapefruity. Love it. Do not give it to beginners, it’s quite complicated.
Morgenhof Estate Chenin Blanc 2011 Simonsberg-Stellenbosch, South Africa 11.99
100% Chenin Blanc from Morgenhof Estate, owned by Anne Cointreau since 1993, a boutique estate, producing just 25,000 cases per year. This is from a single 9.85ha vineyard, vines 43 years old, planted on W-NW facing slopes at 280 - 300m. Grapes were harvested by hand at 4tonnes/ha in March 2011. Crushed, de-stemmed and pressed then the press juice underwent 20 hours cold settling. Half the juice racked to oak barrels and the other half to stainless steel tanks for fermentation. No malo and matured for 10 months in 225l French oak barriques. Winemaker Jacques Cilliers. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Alc 13.5%, TA 4.9g/l, pH 3.6, RS 3.3g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 277 branches.
Ripe and attractive nose. Quite an oaky taste. The alcohol and something else are making it bitter.
Journey’s End Chardonnay 2011 Stellenbosch, South Africa 14.99
100% Chardonnay from a stunning 30ha estate owned by the Gabb family, originally from Shropshire, UK. The Journeys End vineyards border Vergelegen and Waterkloof and are entirely coastal, flanked by the dramatic Hottentot Mountains and overlooking False Bay. Vines are 14 years old, planted on red rocky soil with granite on south-facing slopes 125m above sea level. Grapes were hand-harvested at 7.2tonnes/ha and given 3 hours skin contact before pressing. 100% natural barrel ferment then aged on lees in 300l new French oak barrels for 9 months. Bottled Dec 2011. Winemaker Leon Esterhuizen. Alc 13.5%, TA 5.9g/l, pH 3.28, RS 2.7g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 43 branches.
Heavily oaky nose. I like that, but it is quite in your face. Ripe, full, quite heavy and with heavy fruit and oaky texture. If you like oak you’ll love this.
Australia
Yalumba Organics Viognier 2011 South Australia 8.99
100% Viognier made by Yalumba, Australia’s oldest family-owned vineyard and Viognier pioneers. After years of drought, the weather changed this vintage and the Riverland experienced a cool, wet season - bringing about many interesting challenges. Through meticulous care in the vineyards and without compromising their organic principles, Yalumba produced grapes that managed to avoid disease. Winemaker Heather Fraser. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Alc 13.5%, TA 5.5g/l, pH 3.5. Special Offer: Save 20%, £8.99 - £7.19 from 10/10 to 30/10. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 197 branches.
Quite a reductive, flinty nose. Ripe and fruity with a strong bitter kernel after-taste. Typical.