Description
DESCRIPTION
Located within Marlborough’s Appellation Wine Region, Kekerengu is untouched and unique. The soil here is different —stony and rough, with a vein of limestone carried by forgotten glaciers. The morning mist is a ghost that tends the vines, and the wind is a prevailing southerly that makes the grapes develop slower than other places — perfect for cool-climate winemaking.
It is a lonely place, Kekerengu. You’ll find more company within the silent parts of the nearby Pacific Ocean than on any track—and you’ll receive more chatter from a Fantail than from a cellphone. And that’s what makes this place special. It’s remote and rugged.
It is here that Josh Scott first had a hand in planting a block of Sauvignon Blanc more than twenty years back. Since then this little valley has called him to return. Traditional opinion said it wouldn’t work; planting vines here was too audacious and would require too much effort. Fortunately, audacity and hard work are two things that Josh is known for—and so he set about creating something special to share with the world.
This Sauvignon Blanc is a true cool-climate wine. Unlike traditional Sauvignon Blanc, this wine gets better with age. As it matures a gentle mist gathers within—forsaking clarity for flavour. Fresh sea breezes from the nearby beach adds a gentle saltiness to the grapes, which can be tasted from the glass.
VITICULTURE
Harvest 2023 was a season characterized by collectiveness, collaboration, tranquility, and winemaking finesse. It began strongly with excellent flowering, leading to the potential for an abundant crop come harvest time. A classic Marlborough summer saw consistent days with no excessive heat and a slightly lower sunshine total than average. Light yet persistent rain events during berry maturation meant that focused vineyard management was essential to preserve healthy fruit for the harvest. This challenge was well met across the vineyards, resulting in beautifully clean fruit ready for a promising harvest.
VINIFICATION
With a talented and experienced team of cellar hands and leaders, this vintage provided an opportunity for everyone to showcase their skills, collaborate, and share expertise, allowing the true essence of Marlborough fruit to shine. The grapes are machine harvested and immediately pressed in the cool of the night. The juice is maintained at cool temperatures to ensure the aromatics are not lost. Cleared juice is then fermented to dryness at cool temperatures with specifically selected yeasts. We then selected the pick of the tanks for blending into a wonderful fresh expression for bottling.
