White

As the 2021 harvest continues apace in Marlborough, the 2020 Sauvignon Blanc from Greywacke has been awarded 95 points in the latest edition of Decanter Magazine.

The 2020 harvest faced complications due to New Zealand entering a strict lockdown on 24 February due to Covid-19. Fortunately, the Greywacke team were able to work as a big family isolation bubble, and the harvest was able to continue, despite very challenging circumstances.

In Cameron Douglas MS’s words, the Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2020 shows a “seductive bouquet of wild flowers and minerals, a fine-leesy complexity and fresh aromas and flavours of citrus, peach tea and sweet hay. Crisp, refreshing, fruity and dry with fine texture. Just enough concentration of flavour to contrast the fresh herb notes and salivating acidity. Well made and long.

embled.

Producer: 

Greywacke was created in 2009 by Kevin Judd, chief winemaker at Cloudy Bay from its inception for 25 years and instrumental in the international recognition which Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc enjoys now. The name 'Greywacke' was adopted by Kevin for his first Marlborough vineyard located in Rapaura in recognition of the high prevalence of rounded greywacke river stones in the soils of the vineyard, a sedimentary rock which is widely found in Marlborough. Kevin Judd is also New Zealand's finest wine photographer and has recently published a book 'The Landscape of New Zealand Wine'.

Vineyard: 

Peter Lehmann Wines works with over 140 growers across the length and breadth of the Barossa Valley region, with access to over 750 individual vineyard sites. Grapes for this wine came from selected vineyards in the Barossa Valley with the Pinot Gris sourced from the Adelaide Hills.

Vinification:

Cold fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks prior to blending and early bottling which produced a lively, fresh yet complex white wine.

Producer: 

Peter Lehmann, with 33 vintages already under his belt, started his own winery in 1979, partly as a means of helping with the glut of grapes then afflicting the Barossa. "I'll take your grapes and turn them into wine," he told the desperate growers, many of them conservative farmers of Silesian descent who regarded their old vines as part of their patrimony. "But I'll only be able to pay you when I sell the wine." They gratefully accepted. Without this deal, it is widely thought that the Barossa would have lost a huge chunk of its old vines. Since its first vintage, the Peter Lehmann winery has championed Shiraz and Semillon, the two great traditional varieties of the Barossa. The Layers blends use these two varieties as a base upon which to build a wine that expresses the new face of the Barossa, using varieties that are new or innovative. These smartly packaged wines show that while Peter Lehamann is a traditional winery, it continues to be as innovative today as it was 40 years ago.

Vineyard: 

Saint Martin refers to the patron saint of Chablis, whose relics were kept in the domaine's ancient monastery for many years. Domaine Laroche owns 63 hectares of Chablis vineyard on the famous Kimmeridgian soil that gives the wines such precision. Each plot, of which there are 30 in total, has a different exposure, soil depth and vine age which contributes complexity to the wine and means that every parcel ripens at a different time. Gregory Viennois refers to Chardonnay's 'two-day window' of maturity - if the parcels aren't harvested in this time the precious Chablis aromas are lost.

Vinification:

The grapes were pressed and settled at low temperatures for 12 hours in wide tanks, to help the settling process and minimise the need for sulphur dioxide. Fermentation lasted 21 days at 17°C, followed by full malolactic fermentation. After filtration with Bentonite, the majority of the wine was aged for eight months on fine lees in stainless steel tanks with a small amount (8%) in large oak casks (foudres). Filtration was light to preserve the natural body of the wine.

Producer: 

Domaine Laroche epitomises Chablis, with impeccable quality and a remarkable 100 hectares of vineyards, including 30 hectares of Premier Cru and six hectares of Grand Cru sites. Founded in 1850, there is still a dynamism which permeates everything they do. Michel Laroche merged with another family-owned producer, Jeanjean, in 2009 and he remains involved in the business, along with his wife Gwénaël. As part of their aim to retain purity and minerality in the finished wine, Laroche was the first Burgundian producer to move to screwcaps in 2002.

Vineyard: 

The grapes for this wine come from selected vineyards around the Etang de Thau, planted on clay and limestone soils.

Vinification:

The grapes arrived in the winery in the early morning and were macerated on the skins for a few hours, then pressed by pneumatic press. The must was cold settled for 48 hours and then fermented at a controlled temperature of 15 °C for 16 days. No oak was used and the wine was bottled early to retain freshness and delicate aromatics.

Producer: 

Baron de Badassière is from the Picpoul de Pinet region of the Languedoc, near the coast of the south of France. The name of the wine refers to the Badassière vineyard which lies near the small town of Pomérols. In the 18th century, the vineyard belonged to Baron Charles Emmanuel, a colourful character who was rumoured to be the illegitimate son of King Louis XV. The wines are made exclusively for Liberty Wines by New Zealand winemaker Graeme Paul, with consultant Matt Thomson, at the Cave de Pomérols cooperative where the Vignes de L'Eglise range is also produced.

This Chardonnay has fresh pear and lemon notes that combine with delicate white flowers. Lovely soft aromas of poached apple and marzipan evolve in the glass. Crisp, fresh and dry on the palate, the wine is tightly sprung then unwinds to reveal a citrus pith texture, wrapped around a fresh stone-fruit core.

100% Chardonnay

Taste Notes:

The Meunier dominant blend gives richness and red berry fruit to this crisp and lively Champagne.

Vineyard: 

Charly-sur-Marne lies a mere 50 kilometres east of Paris along the Vallée de la Marne subregion. The Baron family owns 38 hectares of sustainably managed vineyards that are largely planted with Meunier, the dominant grape in the region.

Vinification:

The Grand Réserve is fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel and undergoes malolactic fermentation to give it roundness. It is aged on its lees for three years and has a balanced dosage of 10g/l residual sugar.

Producer: 

Sophie Baron Champagne comes from a family run property in Charly-sur-Marne. The Champagne is named after Sophie, the daughter of the founders Gabriel and Dolorès. She joined the property in 1982 and works alongside her winemaker brother, Ignace.

No. 21 is an unusual blend of grapes, which create a sparkling wine with a lovely fresh and fruity nose with almond and white flower aromas. 40% Pinot Noir , 35% Chardonnay, 20% Gamay, 5% Aligoté

Pale and vibrant in colour, the JCB No. 21 Crémant boasts aromas of citrus fruits, almonds and white flowers on the nose. The palate has refreshing and lifted acidity, coupled with a lovely, rich texture from the lees ageing.

A stunning little gem from David Maudry, whose family have a long old history of wine production in Tracy-Sur-Loire. This Sauvignon Blanc comes from young vines directly next to their Pouilly-Fumé vineyard. Whilst this vineyard remains unclassified, the soils and aspect are the same, indeed the wine tastes almost identical (at a fraction of the price)... lots of that struck-flint note we all love in Pouilly-Fumé, and then a nice elegance and gentle tang.

Seeing Pouilly-Fumé (and Sancerre) getting rather out of reach price-wise this was an exciting find. 

The name, ‘À Peu Près’, means ‘as good as’ (as good as Pouilly Fumé) and we were delighted to have this wine on our list.