Saturday 17 May 2008

Saint Clair 'Cell Block' Sauvignon Blanc 2007

Marlborough, New Zealand, $144, stelvin seal

I was extremely impressed with this wine's sibling and thought I'd try another from the excellent St Clair 'Pioneer Block' range of single vineyard offerings. The grapes used in this come from Dillon's Point near the township of Blenheim in Marlborough, a sub-region that apparently has "free-draining alluvial soils and cool nights".

The lush nose is dominated by tropical flavours; there's plenty of passionfruit, tropical fruit juice and ripe mango. As it warmed up in the glass there were also hints of chopped green grass and limes. The palate was bursting with delicious tropical fruit flavours with a touch of tangy citrus on the finish. The complexity, length and lushness of this wine really impressed me. Naomi remarked that it "tasted expensive" and it really is a very classy drop. Thought I slightly preferred the sharpness of the 'Swamp Block' compared to the rich lushness of this, both these St Clair wines are great and offer fantastic examples of what Sauvignon Blanc is capable of. It's also awesome that since the wine tax disappeared this has dropped from $220 to $144; an absolute bargain for such a stylish drop.
Visit winery website.

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