WAIPARA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009
Released July 2009

The grapes were picked in excellent condition and come from four vineyard sites in the highly regarded region of Waipara. The harvest was a combination of hand pick whole bunch processing and the normal machine harvest.The whole bunch option preserves freshness and purity while the machine harvest adds skin contact where much of the flavour is found. The wine style is fruit focused, with a distinctive fruit aroma that is also evident on the palate resulting in a mouthful of fresh fruit balanced with a crisp mineral finish.

This style of wine is exciting drinking while it is young and vibrant, but can be cellared for those who appreciate the more complex characters that bottle maturation develops. This wine is distinctive tending to assertive which allows it to accompany a wide range of vegetarian dishes through to seafood and white meats and is not overpowered by relishes or sauces. This wine has used the screw top closure to preserve fresh fruit flavours or allow the wine to age gracefully and reach its full potential with no bottle variation.

Vineyards

Grapes are from four different sites within Waipara but the main components come from the McKenzie Vineyards located at latitude 43° South, close to the winery.
The soils vary from free draining terrace sites to the heavier clay loams on the valley floor, all the terrain is gently undulating. The average age of the Sauvignon Blanc vines varies from 7 to 12 years.

Wine Making

Predominantly Machine Harvested some hand harvest in mid-April
Harvest brix ranged from 21 to 23 Brix [% sugar]
Pressing, then cold settling was followed by fermentation in stainless steel tanks and barriques

Bottle Details

Alcohol 13.0 % by volume
Acid 6.4 gm/L [as tartaric]
Residual Sugar 5 gm/L
1500 cases produced

Winemaker’s Comments

Fermentation involved a combination of tank and barrique. The aim of barrel ferment is not to achieve oak flavours but to add complexity and allow the wine to settle close to the fermentation lees. The wine making intent is to focus on the distinctive fruit flavours that make New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc an icon wine style. The barrel ferment component of 10% adds another dimension.

The different vineyards each impart their own distinctive character, the structure of the wine reflects the soil type, the heavier soils provide body and structure, the lighter soils add fresh aromatics and a hint of mineral character. This wine represents the best expression of fruit driven flavours from the excellent 2008 vintage. Enjoy with chicken, pork or seafood dishes.

Screw top closure is used to preserve fresh fruit flavours and to allow the wine to age gracefully and reach its full potential with no bottle-to-bottle variation.

2007 Torlesse Waipara Sauvignon Blanc

Vineyards

Grapes are from four different sites within Waipara but the main components come from the Rayner and McKenzie Vineyards located at latitude 43° South, close to the winery.
The soils vary from free draining terrace sites to the heavier clay loams on the valley floor, all the terrain is gently undulating. The average age of the Sauvignon Blanc vines varies from 7 to 12 years.

Wine Making

Predominantly Machine Harvested some hand harvest in mid-April 2007
Harvest brix ranged from 21 to 22 Brix [% sugar]
Pressing, then cold settling was followed by fermentation in stainless steel tanks and barriques

Bottle Details

Alcohol 12.5 % by volume
Acid 7.4 gm/L [as tartaric]
Residual Sugar 5.4 gm/L
750 cases produced

Winemaker’s Comments

The different vineyards each impart their own distinctive character, the structure of the wine reflects the soil type, the heavier soils provide body and structure, the lighter soils add fresh aromatics and a hint of mineral character. This wine represents the best expression of fruit driven flavours from the low cropping, but excellent 2007 vintage. Enjoy with chicken, pork or seafood dishes.

Screw top closure is used to preserve fresh fruit flavours and to allow the wine to age gracefully and reach its full potential with no bottle-to-bottle variation.

Vineyards

Grapes are from four different sites within Waipara but the main components come from the Rayner and McKenzie Vineyards located at latitude 43° South, close to the winery.
The soils vary from free draining terrace sites to the heavier clay loams on the valley floor, all the terrain is gently undulating. The average age of the Sauvignon Blanc vines varies from 7 to 12 years.

Wine Making

Predominantly Machine Harvested some hand harvest in mid-April 2006
Harvest brix ranged from 22 to 23.5 Brix [% sugar]
Pressing, then cold settling was followed by
Fermentation in stainless steel tanks and barriques

Bottle Details

Alcohol 13.0% by volume
Acid 7.4 gm/L [as tartaric]
Residual Sugar 5.4 gm/L
1500 cases produced

Winemaker’s Comments

The grapes are from two Waipara Vineyards, Maggie and Kym Rayner’s Home Block and The McKenzie Vineyard’s Weka Terraces.Fermentation involved a combination of tank and barrique. The aim of barrel ferment is not to achieve oak flavours but to add complexity and allow the wine to settle close to the fermentation lees.The different vineyards each impart their own distinctive character, the structure of the wine reflects the soil type, the heavier soils provide body and structure, the lighter soils add fresh aromatics and a hint of mineral character.This wine represents the best expression of fruit driven flavours from the excellent 2006 vintage. Enjoy with chicken, pork or seafood dishes.Screw top closure is used to preserve fresh fruit flavours and to allow the wine to age gracefully and reach its full potential with no bottle-to-bottle variation.

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Torlesse Wines, Waipara New Zealand