Esk Valley Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Country
New Zealand
Region
Marlborough
Producer
Esk Valley Estate
Grape(s)
Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Type
White
Style
Crisp
Oaked Style
Unoaked
Body Style
Medium bodied
Dry/Sweet Style
Dry
Alcohol Content
12.5%
Closure Style
Screw cap
Organic/Biodynamic
No
Sustainable
No
Vegetarian/Vegan
Vegetarian
Yes
Vegan
Yes
Allergens
Sulphites
Yes
Milk
No
Egg
No
Region
Marlborough is by far New Zealand’s largest grape growing region with more than two-thirds of all plantings. First planted in 1873 it is known in the region by the Maori name, Kei puta te Wairau meaning ‘the place with the hole in the cloud’ due to its very high 2,410 sunshine hours a year. High sunshine and a dry growing season help to create the famous intense flavours. Generally, plantings are in two main valleys of Wairau and Awatere. Much of the land is alluvial river basin with well-drained soils that provide an ideal for Sauvignon Blanc and clay slopes better suited Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris.
Producer
Situated in the north of Hawkes Bay at Bay View, the winery was first established in 1933. However, it wasn`t until 1986 that wines were made there under the Esk Valley label. The winery source grapes exclusively from the Hawkes Bay region, from its own vineyards as well as from contracted growers. The wines are made by traditional methods, even using the 70 year old open topped concrete vats to ferment red wines. Esk Valley Estate is undoubtedly one of the regions finest boutique wineries, producing hand-crafted and elegant wine styles.
Tasting Notes
Vineyard sites in the Wairau Valley and more Southern Awatere Valley were selected for this wine. The Wairau vineyards are planted on the Southern Clay ‘s heavier soils providing structure and body to the blended wine. The Awatere Valley vineyards are planted on gravelly free draining soils and due to the cooler nature of these sites offer the wine, pungent notes of nettle, gooseberry, citrus and pea pod. The vineyards are all intensively managed with shoot and crop thinning to limit yield and maximize quality. This is a very intense and powerful wine. True to its Marlborough origins its flavours are a mix of ripe tropical fruits, citrus and cooler notes of fresh herbs, tomato leaf and pea pod. Full bodied but with a crisp finish.
Food
Ideal as an aperitif or with seafood including crab, garlic prawns or bass.
