Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Kaimira Estate Nelson 2009 "Brightwater" Sauvignon Blanc

I'm not usually a fan of Kiwi sauvignon Blancs that have seen the inside of an oak barrel but this one is a beauty. And while you may like to read the maker's notes below I'll sum it up in one word - TEXTURE.
While many of us love the surplus of slurpable Marlborough sauv blancs this is a much more serious wine. It's all about the texture that makesthis so memorable and so enjoyable. It's tending towards Sancerre austerity but not quite to the extent of the recent De Bortoli offering.
We road tested the sample we were sent from NZ over three days and I can confidently assure you this will drink brilliantly over the next few years.

Don't buy it if Marlborough savvys are the only wines you've been pouring into your glass in recent times. But don't hesitate if you enjoy serious $20+ complex dry whites.

Producer's Tasting Notes
A fresh and zingy Sauvignon Blanc with aromatics including fresh herbs [fennel , mint , blackcurrant] , ripe citrus and apple. This is a dry style Sauvignon with a silky front palate and a juicy apple tartness that drives the wine through an array of vibrant flavours. The fruit weight and barrel fermented portion lend richness and intensity, while the signature minerality of Brightwater fruit gives an extra layer of complexity to the wine. Finishes long and dry with lingering passionfruit
Winemaking Notes
Fruit for this wine was sourced from several blocks on the two Estate vineyards in B ightwater. The blocks were picked at varying ripeness levels from 20º - 22º Brix, which represents a broad spectrum of ripeness levels, and therefore flavours in the finished wine. Fruit was machine harvested then crushed followed by quick and gentle pressing. This process was reductive, avoiding juice oxidation and the majority of the clear juice was cool fermented with various commercial yeasts in stainless steel tanks.Temperature control ensured the ferments were long and slow to retain primary fruit character . For this tank portion, post- fermentation lees influence was kept to a minimum to preserve frui t character. A 10% portion was fermented in old oak barrels and matured on lees for several months to give added palate weight and texture without any true oak character being imparted to the wine. The separate portions were blended and stabilized before sterile filtration and bottling in December 2009.
Wine Analysis
Residual sugar 3.4g/l, Titratable acidi ty 7.6g/l , pH 316 Alcohol 12.5%
Silver medal, San Francisco International Wine Competition
Our Price: $10 per bottle by the dozen

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