Lake Chalice – Sauvignon Blanc ‘Skye’ – 2021

Description

PRODUCER NOTE:
Lake Chalice was established in 1989 with a vision of producing internationally recognised wines from the heart of the Marlborough region. New Zealand’s native falcon, the ‘Kārearea’, is proudly displayed on every bottle of Lake Chalice wine. Kārearea favour the remote mountains and foothills of the upper Awatere and Wairau Valleys and these valleys are home to Lake Chalice’s three unique vineyard sites. Each vineyard has a diverse microclimate, biodiversity and terroir which are seamlessly translated into multi award winning wines by talented winemaker Chloe Gabrielsen. Taking a boutique approach, she handcrafts parcels of fruit from single vineyards into elegant, aromatic, fruit driven wines and has garnered a global reputation of outstanding quality. Certified ‘Sustainable Winegrower of New Zealand’.

VINTAGE:
2021 was characterised by a lower yield, as it was a very dry year. Springtime flowering conditions were not favourable, with cool weather leading to a large reduction in yield. Additionally, late spring frosts affected small pockets of vineyards, resulting in smaller bunch weights, smaller berries and lower numbers of berries. However, while the quantity was down, the quality was excellent. Early March produced typical Marlborough weather of warm days and cool nights and the perfect ripening conditions.

VINEYARD:
The fruit was sourced from selected vineyard sites located in Marlborough’s Omaka, Awatere and Wairau Valleys. The Awatere Valley, with its silt loam over deep sandstone, provides more mineral flavours in the wines. The Omaka vineyard, has a slightly warmer climate by day, but cooler by night, and where the soil is more compacted and contains more clay, while the Wairau Valley is considered one of the best subregions for Sauvignon Blanc, producing wines with a heightened expression. The vines are cultivated using a sustainable approach with minimal use of vineyard sprays, open canopy management to provide good light and airflow, leaf plucking, fruit and shoot thinning and berry selection. The grapes were harvested at optimum flavour intensity before the sugar levels became too high. This allowed the production of a wine lower in alcohol but rich in flavour.

WINEMAKING:
The grapes were machine harvested at cool temperatures and vinified immediately to minimise skin contact. The juice was cool fermented in stainless steel tanks with selected yeasts to retain varietal character and freshness. Fermentation was arrested to retain some residual sugar in order to give the wine a textured weight on the palate.

TASTING NOTE:
A lighter style of Sauvignon Blanc packed with vibrant aromas of tropical fruit, gooseberry and citrus, with a fresh and juicy palate and finishing on a zesty lime note.

GRAPE:
Sauvignon Blanc 100%.

COUNTRY:
New Zealand

REGION:
Marlborough

SUB-REGION:
Marlborough