Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2019 (750ml)

 

Rated 91 Points by Decanter
 

Restrained grassy nose.  Fresh and zingy on the palate with notes of tropical fruit.  Most satisfying.

 

Ranked #73 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2020

 

Rated 90 Points by Wine Spectator

 

Ruby grapefruit, passionfruit and green apple flavors are vibrant and expressive on a juicy frame.  The fruit flavors show terrific transparency, with a touch of green tea peeking through the long finish.  Drink now.

 

2019 has the ripeness and structure to promote in ageing ability.  Fruit will be at its most vibrant in the first 2 years but expect this vintage to retain its freshness until at least 2024.  The palate richness and complex characters should become more apparent as cellaring progresses.

 

Sustainably Crafted

 

Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2019

 

Celebrating 25 Years of Johnson Family Vineyards

 

Country:  New Zealand

 

Region:  Marlborough

 

Sub Region:  Waihopai Valley, Wairau Valley

 

Vineyards:  Johnson Estate & Friends

 

Winemaker:  Paul Bourgeois

 

Viticulturist:  Adam McCone

 

Pick Dates:  04 March – 30 March 2019

 

Tasting Notes

 

Aroma:  Enticing aromas of Passionfruit and orange blossom with an overlay of citrus.

 

Palate:  Vibrant flavours of grapefruit and blackcurrant with a sprinkling of pineapple on the finish.  The mid-palate is rich and textured with a mouth-watering acidity.

 

Cellaring:  Intense fruit flavours will be evident for the first 2-3 years then the wine will develop more complex characters with palate richness as the wine ages.

 

Winemaking

 

Harvested in the cool of the morning at peak flavour maturity.  Gentle juice extraction, cold settled and fermented in stainless steel tanks and a portion in older oak with a range of aromatic yeasts providing a layer of texture and complexity.

 

Winemaking Notes

 

Enticing aromas of grapefruit, feijoa, bell pepper and a hint of orange zest. 

 

Mouth filling and vibrant with flavours of citrus, green herbs and tropical fruits. 

 

The mid palate is rich and textured while retaining fine acidity and elegance overall.

 

Alcohol:  13%

 

Geology

 

Waihopai Valley:  Alluvial stony silt loams, very well drained.

 

Mid Wairau Valley:  Varying depth of alluvial silt loam over gravel, well drained.

 

Lower Wairau Valley:  Deep alluvial silt deposits over gravel.

 

Winemaker Notes

 

Enticing aromas of grapefruit, feijoa, bell pepper and a hint of orange zest. 

 

Mouth filling and vibrant with flavours of citrus, green herbs and tropical fruits. 

 

The mid palate is rich and textured while retaining fine acidity and elegance overall.

 

2019 has the ripeness and structure to promote in ageing ability.  Fruit will be at its most vibrant in the first 2 years but expect this vintage to retain its freshness until at least 2024.  The palate richness and complex characters should become more apparent as cellaring progresses.

 

Sustainability

 

When you work land as exceptional as this, you protect it.  Here at Spy Valley, we know that our environment is one of the many secrets to our success.  It has sustained generations, and it is our job to nurture it for many more.

 

Since we began, Spy Valley Wines has been accredited under the New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowing scheme.  This initiative promotes economically and environmentally sustainable vineyard management.  For us, this includes our winery, all of our company vineyards and our grower vineyards, and we are deeply satisfied with the way this environment benefits from our sustainability focus.

 

Region

 

Marlborough, New Zealand

 

Marlborough is a land of abundance.  Abundance in New Zealand wine making, in a region celebrated for its increasing depth of varieties.  In beauty and sunshine, an arresting, picturesque and geographically diverse setting.  And in lifestyle choices, making this one strikingly unique place to be.

 

The heart of New Zealand's wine industry, this is our home.

 

 

Spy Valley Wines

 

The 1990s were a time of discovery and courage in Marlborough.  Deep in the Waihopai Valley, Bryan and Jan Johnson had the audacity to establish 180 hectares of estate vineyards on land considered too hard, too dry and too unfertile for wine.

 

It was a venture that started with a passion for the land.  This pioneering spirit established one of New Zealand’s most successful family-run wineries, now exporting eight varietals to 35 countries.

 

Today, Spy Valley’s commitment remains to the land and to the people who tend it – we are simply farmers at heart, nurturing soil and vine to cultivate the complexities in our wine.  And we’re mindful that it’s our focus on sustainability which will ensure our guardianship of this land for generations to come.

 

We’re considered a little clandestine around here, deep in our bewitching valley.  Perhaps it comes with being named for our proximity to the spy base down the road, but we like a bit of mystery.

 

Perhaps it’s because we are always searching for the best of the best to produce exceptional wine.  Perhaps it’s because managing eight varieties of grapes takes a great deal of knowing the land, the environment and climate, and in the past we’ve classified these traditions.

 

These are secrets, however, that we’ve decided it’s time to share.

 

 

Rated 90 Points by Wine Spectator

 

Ruby grapefruit, passionfruit and green apple flavors are vibrant and expressive on a juicy frame.  The fruit flavors show terrific transparency, with a touch of green tea peeking through the long finish.  Drink now.

 

2019 has the ripeness and structure to promote in ageing ability.  Fruit will be at its most vibrant in the first 2 years but expect this vintage to retain its freshness until at least 2024.  The palate richness and complex characters should become more apparent as cellaring progresses.