However, what I discovered and what was so ingeniously demonstrated to us, was how site specific conditions can contribute to the character and flavours of the wine, and how the winemaker can craft a desired flavour profile using his ingredients or tools, all from the vineyard.Īll of the ingredients were Sauvignon Blanc, but each brought something special to the overall blend. What would bring that crisp acidity? Which wine would provide that texture and body, but balanced with zesty citrus and tropical fruit flavours.Ī few members of our team were thrilled with their creations, and even named them! Mine was nothing special (I won’t be recommending my ratio to Kim Crawford for production, that’s for sure). Now, with those samples in front of us, we tried to create a blend of our own wine, thinking of these individual characteristics and what works together. It was fascinating to see and taste this range of wine, all being Sauvignon Blanc, and contrast their differences. The Lower Wairu vineyards have fertile soils, and the wines have a lot of elderflower and guava notes. Rarangi vineyard is close to the coast, ensuring cooler nights which help to preserve acidity in the wine. The Southern Valleys wine comes from more consistent soils, and had more texture, along with white peach notes. Rapaura has some 30+ year old vines, with river stones in parts of the vineyard reflecting warmth onto the vines, adding rich notes of passion fruit. Blind River comes from a hilly site, and the resulting wine shows a lot of gooseberry and grapefruit notes. The region of Awatere displayed bright citrus, fresh herbs and tomato leaf notes. Through extensive tasting and blending, they create the flavour profile of their flagship Sauvignon Blanc, sampling through all of the different potential flavours, and eventually narrowing it down to what will create the ideal blend.Įach individual wine brings a certain characteristic to the final blend. These individual wines gave us a glimpse into the task of the winemaker for each vintage. Of the 240 vineyards that Kim Crawford either owns or has access to, these were some of the wines made from individual vineyards, each vinified separately to capture the essence of that site, soil, and microclimate. Our task for the day was to learn what regional components go into Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc and then we would try to create it ourselves. The final glass was empty and labelled “Your Blend” – interesting. The rest were all labelled for different areas – different individual vineyards, we soon learned. The classic Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc as well as the Spitfire Sauvignon Blanc, a small parcel (or Reserve-type) version were in two glasses. Upon entering a beautiful dining room at Courtyard restaurant, our group knew our tasting with Kim Crawford wines was going to be a unique experience.Ī huge table set with multiple glasses, all but one at each setting containing a sample of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. The secret to Kim Crawford’s success is serious attention to detail in the vineyards and winery, with a special focus on sustainable practices, individual vineyard block harvesting, and small lot fermentation.In the video above, Kim Crawford Winemaker Anthony Walkenhorst explains how blending works at the winery as we try our own hand at it.Ĭanada’s top wine writers and sommeliers met in our nation’s capital recently for a fascinating tasting, and blending exercise, with Kim Crawford wines. A perennial favourite enjoyed by the glass in restaurants, it has also been named in the “2019 Wine & Spirits Restaurant Top 10” Sauvignon Blanc category. Kim Crawford produces one of Marlborough’s benchmark Sauvignon Blanc and has been mentioned in the " Wine Spectator Top 100” four times. Real impact on the palate and not sweetįood Pairing: Pairs brilliantly with fresh oysters, asparagus, lobster, or summer salads.16.5 Points Jancis Robinson " Grab this while you can before the effects of the short 2021 crop!".Ripe, tropical fruit flavour with passion fruit, melon, and grapefruit. This is a fresh, juicy Sauvignon Blanc with vibrant acidity and plenty of weight and length on the palate.
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