2006 Sauvingon Blanc

($18.90)

Tasting Notes

Despite its early pick dates, this wine shows fairly rich, ripe, tropical aromas. It is on the palate where the early picks are shown, - there is firm acidity, and flavours of fresh pineapple and lemon. The finish is quite long, very refreshing, with a distinctive mineral note.

Notes on Fermentation

The Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon are a "vineyard blend" (picked together and pressed to the same tank). These were fermented extremely cool with traditional Sauvignon yeast in stainless steel tanks, racked from the lees immediately following fermentation and allowed to sit in those tanks until ready for blending. The rest of the Sauvignon Blanc was separated into two separate lots, one receiving the same treatment as above, the other receiving champagne yeast and fermenting in new tight grain French barrels for 7 weeks. The barrel portion makes up 40% of the blend but was in for such a short time, the barrels show up simply as a complexity rather than an oak character.