Viticulture

The early part of the growing season of the 2002 vintage was very dry, a continuation from the drought of the previous year. The drought broke in late spring with higher than normal rainfall which continued through December and January. Despite the rain in this period we had exceptionally good fruit set and then very good conditions for leaf canopy growth. As a result we had to do a lot more work in the vineyard to keep the fruit well exposed to the sun and to even the ripening process. The final two months prior to harvest were ideal: warm and dry during the day and cool and dry at night. This produced excellent aromatic fruit with zingy acidity.

The Staete Landt Vineyard Sauvignon is planted in 6 different blocks. We pick the different blocks separately as soon as they reached ripeness to give us different component wines with different structures and flavour. The first picks were to retain the intensity and vivacity of aroma and that zingy acidity that is the hallmark of good Sauvignon. The later picks were to provide the weight and tropical fruit concentration that we aim for in our Sauvignon Blanc.

Harvest Dates: 3rd April - 14th April 2002
Brix: 22.5 - 23.9

Winemaking

Each picking was treated differently in the winery. The majority of the grapes were machine harvested and fermented using neutral yeast so that the fruit flavours and aromas were emphasized. This component was racked immediately after ferment.

Two other portions were hand picked and whole bunch pressed to retain delicacy and elegance. The first portion, then aged in a tank on its lees thus allowing a subtle but complex delicate wine to develop.

The second hand picked portion (about 10% of the wine) was fermented in six year old French oak barrels and was then aged for a further 3 months on its lees. This resulted in more complexity to the wine with minimal oak flavour due to the age of the barrels.

Wine Analysis

Alcohol: 13.5%; Acidity: 7.6 grams/litre; pH: 3.26; Sugar: 2 grams/litre

Tasting Note

A complex and intensely aromatic Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is perfumed with aromas of passion fruit and gooseberries. On the palate this wine is full bodied with real concentration of flavour and aroma. A passion fruit character is dominant but this is backed by subtle dry grass like flavours with creamy and almost nutty complexity and a crisp attractive acidity.

This is a wine for drinking whilst young but has the substance and concentration to develop well over two to five years once the primary fruit aromas have subsided.