Brightwater Gravels Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Reviews

Sam Kim, Wine Orbit: 91/100. It's brightly fruited and nicely lifted on the nose, showing feijoa, kiwifruit and lemon/lime peel aromas. The palate delivers succulent fruit flavours with zesty acidity, finishing long and tasty. Upfront and immediately appealing. At its best: now to 2025.

Cameron Douglas MS: Recommended. Bright, refreshing and salivating expression with flavours of lemon and gooseberry, a touch of ginger spice and dried herb. Crisp and dry as the wine touches the palate with persistent flavours of apple, citrus and a touch of gooseberry and tropical fruit. Best drinking from 2023 through end of summer 2025.

Tasting note

Star bright with a lifted nose of citrus and tropical fruit. Medium bodied and flavourful with juicy fruit intensity, fine texture, and a cooling crisp acidity. Fruit forward and immediately appealing

Aromas and flavours:

Additional information

Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc

Food match: Sauvignon Blanc's 'zing' is a delightful complement to dishes with fresh herbs, green vegetables, seafood or fresh goats cheese. Enhance the effect with a citrus or garlic garnish. Or simply enjoy as a refreshing aperitif.

Alcohol: 12.5% vol

Vineyard: Nelson, New Zealand

Soil type: Flat alluvial soils overlaying free draining gravels and clay base material.

Vintage Season 2023: Winter 2022 was not especially cold as local sea temperatures remained warmish and influenced the land. Precipitation on the other hand was frequent, and sometimes heavy. Budburst was again early as we have become accustomed to with the La Nina dominant weather umbrella. Spring growth was also vigorous with water at field capacity in the soils, and warmer temperatures. The energetic spring conditions proved challenging for flowering and fruitset resulting in variability within varieties and across regional sites. Periodic rain events continued through summer and the vineyard vigor continued as well. Temperatures remained warm so fruit development was not retarded. Fingers were crossed from verasion and with a large amount of luck the rain held off and fruit was allowed to ripen and be harvested. Picking started early March with the Rose and was completed in a relatively short four week period. Grapes were once again clean and ripe.

Regional climate: Nelson is regularly New Zealand’s sunniest region. With young alluvial soils, abundant clean fresh water and a sheltered topography, Nelson grows a wide range of crops to exceptional standards. The proximity of Nelson to the temperate Tasman Sea ensures minimal frost risk and moderation of extreme daytime temperatures. Grapes ripen evenly and slowly allowing full and bright flavour development.

Winemaking: A single vineyard wine – off the stony alluvial Waimea Plains. Mass selection Sauvignon was hung out to ripen and then snatched off the vines in early April in the cool of early morning. The clarified juice was fermented with a traditional Sauvignon Blanc yeast – to hone typical varietal characters. Minimal winemaker ‘interference’ ensured this wine has stayed true to the Brightwater Gravel theme of bright fruit driven, light-footed wines. Bottled five months post-harvest.

Residual sugar: 4.5 g/l

Bottle size: 0.75l

Notice: contains sulphites

Cellaring potential: 2025

Closure: Screwcap

Produced and bottled by: Drinks Cabinet Limited, Atawhai, Nelson 7010, New Zealand

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