Colour:
Dark garnet.
Aroma:
Perfumed ripe red fruits combine with aromas of toasted oak.
Palate:
Full bodied and elegant in style with flavours of fresh ripe raspberries and wild bramble notes. The palate has a silky smooth texture with hints of charred oak and cream on the lingering finish.
Ageing:
Perfect for drinking immediately this wine will continue to develop for at least another five years from vintage date.
Winemakers:
Kyle Thompson
Region:
Produced from the Doctor’s Creek vineyard, south-west of Blenheim township.
Terroir:
Soil: Compact, clay-rich, vigour moderating soils
Topography: Flat, even land.
Climate: Slightly cooler nights than further up the Wairau Valley with a slower, longer ripening period.
Regional characteristics and contribution to uniqueness of flavours:
The cooler Doctor’s Creek area consistently produces fragrant and appealing aromatics.
Winemaking:
The fruit was harvested when it had reached full physiological ripeness and maximum flavour maturity. At the winery the fruit was held cold for five days prior to fermentation to help extract maximum flavour and to enhance colour stability. Specially selected cultured yeast were used to carry out the primary alcoholic fermentation, during which the fermenting must was hand plunged up to six times daily at the peak of fermentation. At dryness the wine was pressed, then racked off gross lees to seasoned 225 litre French oak barriques.
During maturation the barrels were regularly tasted until the right balance was achieved (eleven months). During this time in oak, the young wine completed malolactic fermentation. The wine was then carefully extracted from oak, blended and prepared for bottling.
Viticulture:
The fruit was mainly sourced from Saint Clair’s estate owned vineyard at Doctor’s Creek. The grapes harvested for this wine are from clones
115, 667 and 777.
Wine Analysis:
Alcohol 13% v/v
Acidity 6.5g/litre
pH 3.41
Our Food Match Recommendation:
Perfectly matched with lamb fillet, sweet potatoes and roast vegetables.
Click here to open to 2021 tasting notes as a PDF.
Previous Vintages Tasting Notes:
Gold Medal - New Zealand International Wine Show, 2023
