Description

ABOUT THE PRODUCER:
Neal and Judy Ibbotson were pioneers in the Marlborough wine industry, first planting vineyards in the valley in 1978 and then establishing Saint Clair Family Estate in 1994. They own 160 hectares of vineyard in 10 different Marlborough locations chosen specifically for the attributes of their individual “terroir” and ability to produce top quality grapes. Neal Ibbotson combines his extensive expertise in viticulture with the talent of one of New Zealand’s leading winemaking teams. The vines are sustainably cultivated and the estate holds the Sustainable Wines of New Zealand certification. Since 1994, when wines from the first vintage all won medals including gold, the name Saint Clair has been synonymous with quality and its award-winning record continues today. This is a sentiment shared by Bob Campbell MW, who says “Saint Clair now makes the country’s and perhaps the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc”.

THE VINTAGE:
The 2024 vintage was affected by cool spring weather particularly during the flowering period which resulted in lower yields. The harvest was quick and finished early with all fruit received before the end of March. Low crop levels and beautifully clean fruit of excellent quality produced wines packed with flavour and intensity.

ABOUT THE VINEYARD:
The blend for this wine comprises three varietals selected from three unique vineyard sites. The Pinot Gris provides aromatic traits and primary fruit notes and the fruit comes from light alluvial gravels in the Waihopai and Wairau River confluence areas. The Grüner Veltliner offers excellent structure and a peppery nature, while the Riesling adds a refreshing acidity and citrus characters. The Grüner Veltliner and Riesling grapes come from the Central Wairau Valley, which has a warm, sunny climate cooled by winds from the Pacific Ocean. This river flood plain has very diverse soils, from stony river wash to deep alluvium. All the vineyards are sustainably cultivated and are SWNZ accredited. This sustainable approach sees minimal use of vineyard sprays, open canopies with good light and airflow, leaf plucking along with fruit and shoot thinning.

THE WINEMAKING PROCESS:
This Pétillant Naturel wine was produced using minimal intervention. The lightly pressed juice from the three varietals was blended prior to starting a slow and clean fermentation process. Fermentation was partially arrested at an ideal balance of remaining sugar and alcohol, before being racked straight into bottles, capped, and placed into a cool room to continue fermentation through to dryness. Completing this process under crown cap captured the effervescence created during this final fermentation, resulting in a lightly sparkling and unfiltered wine that may have a cloudy appearance and a sediment. Due to the nature of this winemaking style, slight variances amongst bottles are to be expected.

OUR TASTING NOTES:
A delightfully crisp and refreshing gently sparkling wine, with layered notes of fresh green apple, white stone fruits, a delicate hint of citrus and elegant lees influence.

GRAPE VARIETY:
Pinot Gris 67%, Grüner Veltliner 18%, Riesling 15%.