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Mt Beautiful Cheviot Hills 2009 Sauvignon Blanc

While most people around the world think of sunny Marlborough when they see a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, this one comes from a bit further south, n the picturesque Cheviot Hills of North Canterbury between Waipara and Kaikoura. The Mt Beautiful team saw the potential in this area in 2004, planting their first vines on an interlaced series of tablelands above the Waiau River.

The silt Loam Phoebe topsoil on the site is remarkably uniform which gives Mt Beautiful very even fruit ripeness throughout the vineyard. The vineyard has also been designed to work in harmony with the topography, creating a vineyard of contrasts, colours and contours.

The Cheviot Hills had an excellent fruit growing season in 2009, but moderate flowering on their young vines delivered only a light crop of fruit at Mt Beautiful. The vines were leaf plucked to ensure good air circulation. Water was also limited to control vine vigour. The 2009 harvest was eleven days earlier than it had been the previous year.

Clean, ripe fruit was brought to the winery, where it was crushed to press. The free run and pressings were kept separate and both components were allowed to cold settle for 48 hours. The juice was cool fermented for three weeks to retain freshness and aromatics. After fermentation, the wine was racked and kept on light lees for two months before being blended. The wine was bottled early to retain freshness and the aromatic qualities.

I found the Mt Beautiful Cheviot hills Sauvignon Blanc to exhibit wonderful aromas of tropical fruit. On the palate, it exhibits crisp flavours of pineapple, green mango and lime, with a long citrus finish. It is drinking well now and I would recommend trying it with seafood, or you could wait until next summer to enjoy it with your favourite salad.

Reviewed by Stephen Clark (2/8/2010)
 

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