MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2013

B R A N C O T T E S TAT E ‘ B’ M A R L B OR OU G H SAUV I G N ON B L A N C 2 01 3
LETTER SERIES
®
MARLBOROUGH
SAUVIGNON BLANC
2013
Tasting Notes
The southern side of Marlborough’s Wairau Valley is cooler
and drier than the northern side. The soils are much older and
more structural with higher clay content. Formed from glacial
outwash and wind-blown loess, they are still free-draining, but
have a higher nutrient content than those on the northern
side of the valley. Brancott Vineyard is typical of this soil type
and gives rise to Sauvignon Blanc wines that are flavoursome,
textural and have a vibrant, greener edge.
Fruit from our Brancott Vineyard forms the back bone for this
wine, some of which includes Marlborough’s original Sauvignon
Blanc plantings.
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B R A N C O T T E S TAT E ‘ B’ M A R L B OR OU G H SAUV I G N ON B L A N C 2 01 3
“The 2013 growing season was one of the best we have experienced in the last decade. Each parcel of fruit
was picked at its flavour peak and has allowed us to craft a complex and textural Sauvignon Blanc that
exhibits intense passionfruit, white peach and guava characters.”
Patrick Materman, Chief Winemaker
The 2013 Marlborough Growing Season
Marlborough’s weather for the 2013 growing season will be
remembered as being a return to warmer conditions when
compared to 2012. With the exception of January’s rainfall, which
was only slightly above average, the season was typified by less
rain than normal. Aside from April, each month was sunnier than
usual - February in particular. Harvest itself began a little slower
than normal, before a big effort by both the harvesting and winery
teams ensured the bumper harvest was finally brought in. Both
the fruit condition and flavours of the 2013 harvest are excellent,
ensuring a very happy winemaking team.
Soil Type
The southern side of the Wairau valley, where the Brancott
Vineyard is situated, is characterised by older, more structural
soils with higher clay content. Formed from glacial outwash and
wind-blown loess, they are still free-draining, but have a much
higher nutrient content than those on the northern side of the
valley.
Clonal/Rootstock Selection
Clonally, the Sauvignon Blanc is predominantly mass-selected
on a mix of four main rootstocks - these being 3309, 5C, Riparia
Gloire and Schwarzmann. A small portion (2.5%) is comprised of
a new Entav clone, 376.
Winemaking Details
Both hand-picking (13%) and machine harvesting (87%) were
used. The hand-picked components were gently pressed in
our cocquard press, using champagne-style cycles, to provide
mineral tightness and longevity to the wine. The majority of the
handpicked fruit was then wild fermented at warm temperatures
to aid textural complexity, enhance stone fruit flavours and add
savoury interest to the nose. The machine harvested components
were crushed to bag presses for greater aromatic fruit expression.
The free-run juice was then fermented slowly at cool temperatures
to retain the very distinctive regional and varietal characters
Marlborough has become famous for. All components were left
on full fermentation solids until blending occurred, encouraging
not only some lees complexity in the final blend but further
enhancing the texture of the wine.
Oak Regime
5% of the blend was fermented and matured in new puncheons,
which due to their larger surface area add a more subtle oak
character to the wine when compared with wine fermented in
barriques. Another 5% was fermented in 4000 litre oak foudres
that enhances wine texture without adding a noticeable oak
signature.
Aroma and Palate
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Growing Season Climate Data (Oct-Apr)
(Marlborough Averages)
Growing Degree Days:
1248°C
Rainfall:
283mm
Mean Max Temp:
21.4°C
Mean Min Temp:
10.3°C
Vine Age:
17 years
2 & 4-cane VSP
Pruning Regime:
Harvest Date:
30th March - 8th April
MATURITY ANALYSIS AT HARVEST (AVERAGE)
°Brix:
Titratable Acidity
(as Tartaric Acid)
pH:
22.5-24.2°Bx
8.9g/l
3.20
WINE ANALYSIS
Alcohol:
Residual Sugar:
Titratable Acidity
(as Tartaric Acid)
pH:
Contains Sulphites.
14.0% v/v
2.5g/l
7.3g/l
3.23
The Brancott Estate Letter Series Range
The Brancott Estate Letter Series is our top varietal range.
Hand-crafted and centred upon grapes grown on our very best
vineyards, each wine is made in a distinctive style to reflect not
only the flavours of the region, but also the fine art of winemaking.
Vinted only in exceptional years, Brancott Estate Letter Series
wines are given bottle ageing appropriate to the varietal prior to
release, thereby ensuring optimal drinking.
The range of winemaking techniques has resulted in a complex
wine displaying intense passionfruit, white peach and guava
characters on the nose, with a touch of smoky oak. The palate
is richly textured with grapefruit and stone fruit characters, in
addition to a wonderful minerality all bound together by a crisp
acidity and a lingering finish.
Cellaring and Food Matching
This wine is perfect with, Marlborough clams and green-lipped
mussels or cold smoked salmon. Though made to drink whilst it
is young and vivacious, this wine may be cellared for up to three
years to develop further complexity.
LETTER SERIES
®