Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022

Capturing the essence of Marlborough, this Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc is a blend of selected vineyards from the key sub regions within Marlborough. Pungent herbal aromas lead into a juicy palate bursting with zesty grapefruit and rock-melon, with a round weighty finish. The 2022 wine is 50% Wairau Valley with 50% Awatere Valley.

Marlborough

The Marlborough growing season started off well with very little frost pressure during spring. Flowering went without a glitch, due healthy soil moisture levels the canopies looked lush and vibrant. The start of 2022 summer was slightly colder; February was below the long-term average in temperature however the weather settled with a slightly damp autumn.

Vineyard blocks from the warmer Wairau Valley are chosen to express concentrated riper tropical Sauvignon Blanc notes, whereas the cooler windier Awatere Valley takes longer to ripen producing dominant herbal and bell pepper characters.

The Sauvignon Blanc grapes destined for this Cellar Selection wine were harvested in cool night temperatures to protect the aromatics. Clear juice is slowly fermented in stainless steel tanks using selected aromatic yeast strains.

The wine is left to mature on yeast lees for a period of time to build palate weight and texture into the wine, without compromising freshness.