Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2016 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is featured on the cover of the latest LCBO VINTAGES Release on March 3rd.

When I tasted the 2014 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc and 2015 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc, both wines were excellent in my books, so I am expecting another high quality wine this vintage. Yields were up in New Zealand after the small 2015 vintage. However, the biggest difference in 2016 in Marlborough, where this white wine is from, is the larger than average berry size which should result in wines with an emphasis on thiols (i.e. passionfruit flavours) over methoxypyrazines (i.e. herbal flavours).

Greywacke was formed by Kevin Judd to fulfil a long-held dream and is named after the rounded greywacke river stones that were found at his first Marlborough vineyard located in Rapaura. The grapes for this wine were sourced from various prime vineyard sites in Marlborough’s Southern Valleys, the central Wairau Plains (specifically in Woodbourne, Renwick and Rapaura), and a spectacular river terrace site in the upper Awatere Valley. All individual vineyard batches were left on lees and kept separate until the blend was finally assembled.

Since this wine was just placed on LCBO VINTAGES shelves last weekend, there are still quite a few bottles available for you to buy now and enjoy over the Summer.

Tasting Note:

GREYWACKE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#164228) (XD) - $24.95
Screw cap. The expressive nose opens with flinty mineral followed by guava, kiwi, tropical fruit, gooseberry and hints of lemon drops at the tail end. On the plump medium-bodied palate, this offers crisp, bright, and crunchy acids with ripe guava, white grapefruit, melon and tropical fruit flavours. Finishes long with fine minerality. A substantial Sauv Blanc that will be succulent with oysters. Score: 91 pts