2011

Pale, pleasant acidity, restrained almost dilute flavours of passion fruit and blackcurrant leaf with a short finish. Seems to have gone backwards over the last few months.

2012

Pale, again pleasant acidity. Spritz that would upset MrD. Huge flavours of upfront lemon grass ( not good ) and underlying passion fruit ( lovely ).

I prefer JE 2011 to both. But the 2011 VMWR could easily come back in time.

The flavours on this are so massive it can handle chilling. Lemon grass gives way to lush passion fruit loveliness when colder.

This hits the front over JE 11.

Massive, Mr G. that's the Wairau Reserve '11 on 2nd day you're sorta 'eulogising' about, yeah ?

_________________
Duncan

The 2012.

Lemonade and lemon grass upon opening. Staggering after light chilling and even handled top fridge temp of 8c.

Even if this wine goes nowhere it's gorgeous now. A match for any Pioneer Block and even the VM WR 09.

Both the 12's that i've had have been very pungent. Villa Maria WR and the Black Cottage. Gone is the restraint of 2011. You've had better luck with your recent 11's. Both JE and VM have been a bit mute for me.

Hopefully 2012 will be a stunning vintage for all our old favs.

http://www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz/features/saint-clair-2012-sauvignon-blanc

2012 is looking good for the Southern Valleys style produced by Saint Clair - Goldwater - Villa Maria ( Wairau ) - Jackson Estate