Winemaker:
Stewart Maclennan and Hamish Clark

Block: 1
This vineyard site has proved to be the building block for some of Saint Clair’s finest wines. This is the vineyard where Saint Clair Family Estate first discovered the fruit to make their flagship Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc.

Region:
The site was previously part of the Wairau flood plain, which built up the deep free-draining soils.

Terrior:
Soils: Deep, fertile, free-draining soils.
Topography: Flat, approximately three metres above sea level.
Climate: Slightly cooler than most of the Marlborough Valley with a slower annual ripening period.

Regional Characteristics & Contribution to Uniqueness of Flavours:
The highly fertile soils of this vineyard have been built up over time by annual flooding and help to produce the intensity of flavour in the wine.
The vineyard is now protected from flooding
by a stopbank.

Viticulture:
The fruit was sourced from a single vineyard owned by the Sowman family on the fertile, free-draining soils of the lower Wairau Valley. The fruit was carefully monitored during ripening and harvested in the cool of the evening at maximum flavour maturity and physiological ripeness.

Winemaking:
The juice was pressed off immediately following harvesting to minimize skin contact and juice deterioration. After settling, the juice was fermented using a selected yeast strain in stainless steel at cool temperatures to retain fruit flavour and freshness. This batch was selected as a Pioneer Block wine due to its power and intensity of flavour.

Colour:
Pale straw with a slight green hue.

Aroma:
Aromatic white currant, nettle and dried thyme with a hint of oyster shell.

Palate:
Luscious ripe grapefruit and tropical fruit flavours combine with a wet stone purity. The palate is linear and focussed with a chalky texture and salty, mineral notes lingering on the finish.

Cellaring:
Drinking beautifully now and best enjoyed over the next two years.

Analysis:
Alcohol 13% v/v, Residual sugar 2.3g/L, Acidity 7.6g/litre, pH 3.28

Food Match:
An ideal match with smoked salmon or green-lipped mussels.

Vegan friendly