OVB: Old Vines (White) Blend 2021

2021 was a brilliant Marlborough vintage: other than poor weather at flowering time, which reduced yields significantly. The hot dry season that followed meant the smaller than usual crops were able to ripen perfectly and remained in pristine condition. Harvest saw no rain, which meant the grapes came in clean and disease free when picked on 26 March 2021.

 We only make this wine when vintage conditions are perfect as it relies on ideal weather to get the Semillon component of the final blend perfectly ripe. We last made this wine in 2013, another great vintage. The final blend was two thirds Sauvignon Blanc and one third Semillon. The Semillon came from our 30yo vines and the Sauvignon from a mix of 31yo vines still on their own roots, with a portion of younger vines to give the wine vibrancy. The grapes were harvested in the cool of the night to help retain the grapes classical characters. The Semillon was aged in 50% new barrels for 11 months and the Sauvignon in older barrels, also for 11 months, before final blending: hence the wine’s name. It was bottled on 8 March 2022

 It is a vibrant lemon, mid straw in colour, with glorious ripe, tropical, citrus aromatics. As the nose broadens it reveals ripe tropical flavours, mango, mandarin, stone-fruits and honey dew melon, with a hint of jasmine, honeysuckle and ripe pears.  The palate is smooth, elegant and rich with ripe peach and mandarin, but also a spicy star anise character. It is a complex, mouth-filling and moreish wine, attractively dry to the taste with perfectly poised, tingly, crisp acidity and a lovely textural element. It has a long, lingering, elegant and satisfying finish.

 This is a refined and complex wine that will continue to develop and evolve in the bottle for many years. We expect it to age beautifully and give great pleasure for many years: a sophisticated wine from a great Marlborough vintage

 Technical Notes

 Alcohol: 13.38%, Acidity: 7.1, PH: 3.23, Residual Sugar: 3.2 g/l.  

 Reviews

Gorgeously fruited and elegantly complex, the wine shows grapefruit, apricot, oatmeal and cashew characters on the nose, leading to a wonderfully concentrated palate offering richly textured mouthfeel backed by bright acidity, finishing superbly long and delectable. A blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc & 30% Semillon, matured in oak barrels for 11 months. At its best: now to 2031. ***** 95/100 

                                                                                                                         Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, July 2022 

Grassy/green herb notes, ripe gooseberry, stonefruit, anise, developing tropical fruit and cream notes with aeration. Nice weight and power, textural richness, anise again, smoke, citrus, fruit pastille, a delightful creaminess. Layers of flavour, hits the refreshment factor too as it builds an appealing crunchy, zestiness. 70% Sauvignon blanc, 30% Semillon. Excellent to Outstanding

                                                                                                Mark Henderson, Otago Daily Times, July 2022