The King's Sticky End

100 % Sauvignon Blanc was harvested at the end of April once the botrytis infection was well established throughout the selected blocks. Hand-harvesting allowed special selection of the optimum noble bunches before being whole-bunch pressed into a stainless-steel tank. The sticky juice was then settled clear before being run into new and seasoned French oak barrels. Fermentation occurred slowly over winter, with occasional lees agitation building up palate weight and secondary notes with further maturation until spring.

Within the Marlborough wine region, Waihopai River Vineyard lies on the flats on the right bank of the Waihopai River, at the mouth of the Waihopai Valley. By far the most substantial part of the 260ha vineyard is planted in Sauvignon Blanc. Blocks 22, 23 & 24 on the Waihopai River Vineyard is where the Sauvignon Blanc for this wine is chosen. What makes the Waihopai River Vineyard such a great place is the exceptional diversity across the one site. It consists of three terraces, formed by glacial movement over thousands of years. The bottom terrace consists of the old river bed, with silt, silty clay loam and gravel soils. Diverging seams of varying soils give real diversity of flavours to work with. The middle terrace has more gutsy soil, with more fertile topsoil overlaying the gravels below. This area also gives a wide range of flavours and characteristics. The top terrace is the largest of the three, and varies across its width from west to east. The soils from the west of the terrace are very similar to the mid-terrace, and as you go towards the Delta Hill, the soils get gradually deeper and richer, and in this area specifically, the shade that the hill provides adds to the variable conditions..

Tropical aromas of guava and lime are knitted with hints of honeycomb and a slight nuttiness. The opulent palate is silky-smooth; deriving from late harvest sweetness with flavours of apricot, mandarin and a suggestion of light oak.

Enjoy it alone after a meal or along your favourite strong cheese and pate.