2007 Maven Sauvignon Blanc
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GOLD MEDAL: May 2008 London International Wine Challenge
Lifted aromas of passionfruit and gooseberry abound. A vibrant, lively wine, this Sauvignon balances the freshness melon and lime with rich, ripe tropical fruit on the palate and a lingering finish. Subtle use of seasoned French oak casks on a portion of the blend has added further weight and complexity.
This premium Sauvignon Blanc is a single-vineyard wine grown exclusively in our estate vineyard near the stony banks of Marlborough's Wairau River.
We separated the main block into a number of zones and varied the amount of leaf plucking in each. This directly affects the fruit's flavour and composition, with more exposure to the Marlborough sun leading to riper, more tropical flavours.
A riper component, hand-picked separately, was then fermented using wild yeasts (in seasoned French barriques). Wild or natural fermentation involves leaving the juice to commence fermentation on its own without the aid of cultured yeasts. This is invariably slower, but allows the wine to develop to its natural potential and the result tends to be more complex and richly textured.
By picking separate parcels of the Sauvignon over a 3-week period we were able to capture a wider spectrum of flavour and aromas. A greener component was cool fermented in stainless steel at very low temperatures to retain its crisp, vibrant freshness and that unmistakeable Marlborough zing.
RRP: $19.95 Alcohol: 13.5% vol.