Saint Clair Pioneer Block Sauvignon Blanc

Description

Pale green colour. Bright green capsicum and kaffir lime leaf with a hint of freshly cut grass. Intense blackcurrant with generous layers of tropical passionfruit and a rich herbaceous thread. A distinct salty oyster shell character leads to a long lingering finish.

Rows are planted north-east to south-west at a 43 degree angle rather than the typical north to south. This leads to slightly greener characters in grapes on the south facing side and more tropical characters in grapes on the north facing side. The resulting wine is therefore multi-dimensional and complex. The site is cooler than some other areas of the valley and hence slower to ripen. The distinguishing flavours are crushed herbs (often associated with the coastal Awatere region) and an absence of sweaty characteristics.