Ata Rangi Raranga Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc 2018

Description

Dry

• Off-dry style
• Passionfruit
• Pear
• Honeysuckle

Hand-picked from a very benevolent season, this vibrant wine shows a glorious medley of aromas - passionfruit, persimmon, pear, honeysuckle and a hint of ruby grapefruit. It is rich and finely textured, with great drive through the palate. Aiming for a complex, satisfying, food-friendly style, a small portion was fermented in older barrels to enhance mid palate weight and texture.

Raranga Sauvignon Blanc (‘woven’ in Maori) is the winemakers expression of this variety in the low yielding Martinborough region. Utilising several traditional winemaking techniques including barrel ferments with high solids juice, extended skin contact and partial malolactic fermentation. Around 15% of the fruit was fermented in contact with skins, drawing out their more complex flavours. The grape skins also contain phenolics which, combined with the natural acidity, offer a fresh back bone. These portions are woven together to produce a complex and textural wine.

The handpicked fruit for this wine was 10% fermented on skin for 8 weeks, 5% fermented whole bunch for 4 weeks then gently pressing to remove skins. All other fruit pressed and fermented in barrel or tank. Barrel portion makes up 40% of the blend. No sulphur addition to juice, high solids and wild yeast fermentation. Some malolactic in barrel.