Jules Taylor Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Jules Taylor Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023Dry style Gooseberry & guava White florals & basil Refreshing acidity "Gorgeously aromatic and inviting, the bouquet shows nectarine, green rockmelon, lime peel and white floral aromas, followed by a delightfully juicy palate offering bright fruit intensity with fine texture and refreshing acidity, offering terrific drinking. At its best: now to 2026" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jun 2023 "A very youthful and pungent bouquet filled with aromas of pink

• Dry style
• Gooseberry & guava
• White florals & basil
• Refreshing acidity

"Gorgeously aromatic and inviting, the bouquet shows nectarine, green rockmelon, lime peel and white floral aromas, followed by a delightfully juicy palate offering bright fruit intensity with fine texture and refreshing acidity, offering terrific drinking. At its best: now to 2026" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jun 2023

"A very youthful and pungent bouquet filled with aromas of pink grapefruit, apple, lemon and tropical fruits. A layer of freshly sliced bell-pepper and crushed basil adds depth and complexity. Equally pungent and youthful as the wine touches the palate with a saline acid line, crunchy fresh citrus textures and flavours that mirror the bouquet. Gooseberry and apple, lemon and tropical fruits. Delicious and new a wine that will age well, will be perfect with freshly steamed mussels or kina. Best drinking from 2024 through 2029" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Jul 2023

"Ripe yet tangy Sauvignon with passionfruit, guava, lime zest, gooseberry and red capsicum flavours. Reasonably concentrated, vibrant wine with punchy varietal characters. Impressive wine with purity and power" Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, Real Review, Jun 2023

Very pale yellow. Explosive aromas of passionfruit, grapefruit, lemon peel and lime zest jump out of the glass, followed by hints of Thai basil and thyme. This in-your-face drop captures the essence of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Ripe, exuberant citrus and passionfruit flavours combine with a lick of wet stones. The palate is dry, complex, and powerful, giving way to a concentrated, lip-smacking finish.

Growers had to be alert and agile through the early 2022-23 growing season to protect vines and avoid the disease threatened by the regular rainfall. A month or so prior to harvest many in Marlborough were bracing themselves for a tricky harvest. And yet… As so often happens in Marlborough, Autumn weather saved the day. Marlborough dodged the tropical storms that devasted NZ’s North Island. Loose bunches kept the fruit dry and clean, and early concerns over disease did not eventuate. Healthy canopies kept the vines in good shape to ripen their grapes and develop delicious flavours in a harvest that was somewhat slower and later than usual. The condition of grapes arriving at the winery was truly fantastic. The slow ripening period had concentrated flavours which were ripe, layered and balanced by juicy acidity. Harvest went very smoothly, and Jules was able to breathe a sigh of relief, and then smile with anticipation as she tasted the wines in tank and barrel.

The fruit for this wine was grown in the Taylor Pass, Lower Wairau, Hawkesbury and Awatere sub-regions of Marlborough, avoiding the main Wairau Valley floor sites. Each block was individually tended throughout the season, ensuring grapes reached optimum ripeness. With a dedicated harvesting crew on hand we were able to harvest each block individually once the fruit was ripe and the flavours were perfect. At the winery the grapes were pressed into stainless steel tanks for cold settling before gently racking off juice lees. The juice was inoculated with aromatic yeasts and gently fermented at cool temperatures to enhance the wine’s aromas and flavours. It was then left to settle on its yeast lees for a very short period before being racked. Then came the best part; each batch was tasted, and the final blend created! The resulting wine was then cold stabilised, filtered, bottled, and sealed with a screwcap to ensure perfect freshness.

Food Pairing: Try it alongside casual fresh sourdough dunked in good quality olive oil and plenty of dukkah, or for a main course try crispy skinned snapper fillet with warm puy lentils and a herby lemon sauce.