2017 Dog Point Vineyard, “Section 94”, Sauvignon Blanc, (AMW) Marlborough, New Zealand

£25.75 £19.95

Out of stock

Description

Roving Sommelier is passionate about premium quality New Zealand regional wines. Award-winning sommelier, Robert Giorgione is also a New Zealand Wine Brand Ambassador and enthusiastically goes about his work with great passion and knowledge and positively promotes all the New Zealand winegrowers that he represents.

Dog Point Vineyard was established in 2002, by partners Ivan & Margaret Sutherland and James & Wendy Healy. With a passion for producing premium organic wine, Dog Point Vineyard has become widely regarded as one of New Zealand’s top producers of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The name is from early settlement of Marlborough when sheep were introduced to the area. Without many fences, boundaries were established by dogs, some of which got lost, bred and made their home as a pack in the hills overlooking the Wairau Plains. This became known as Dog Point. Naturally, there is a pack of dogs – albeit much more friendly – always ready to greet visitors of the winery.

A key part of the organic philosophy is biodiversity on the Dog Point property and much of the land is still used for pasture and orchards, as well as thoughtful plantings of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Older well-established vines are situated on free draining silty clay loams. This is supplemented with more recent plantings on closely planted hillside blocks on soils with a clay loam influence. All fruit is hand-picked from low cropped vines from one of Marlborough’s oldest privately established vineyards. While the Sauvignon Blanc is made in stainless steel, the Section 94, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir enjoy extended barrel ageing with minimal racking and handling.

My personal journey with Dog Point Vineyard started in the mid-1990s, when I met Ivan Sutherland, who, at the time was working for Marlborough-based Cloudy Bay (arguably New Zealand’s most iconic vineyard) and supplied most of the grapes from his vineyards that made the wines. Later, while working as wine buyer and head sommelier at Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge, I first tasted a wine under the Dog Point Vineyard label. The first vintage (2002) made under the Dog Point Vineyard label by Ivan Sutherland and James Healy (another former colleague at Cloudy Bay) was released in 2003. Over the years, I have loyally followed Dog Point Vineyard with great interest and have visited the family-owned estate just outside Blenheim on three occasions: 2006 (when I worked the vintage harvest with several Marlborough boutique winemakers); in 2009 and in 2014. In addition, I hosted a fabulous Dog Point Vineyard wine tasting and dinner at the Orrery in 2008.

The “Section 94” is a single vineyard wine planted to Sauvignon Blanc and organically farmed. A complex full-bodied style of Sauvignon Blanc with a chalky minerality and fresh herbal influence, complimented by a vibrant acidity which gives the wine focus. Suggested food matches for Section 94 include fish (particularly salmon), poultry and soft white cheeses.

This single vineyard parcel is situated within the Dog Point Vineyard, using the same low cropping level from vines planted in 1992. Fruit is hand-picked, whole bunch pressed and fermented and aged in older French oak barrels for 18 months. Bottled without fining.

I can safely say that Dog Point Vineyard is my favourite New Zealand vineyard and their wines are always at the top of my bucket list. The 2017 Dog Point Vineyard, “Section 94”, Sauvignon Blanc (AMW) is utterly delicious right now but will also continue to age for a further 5-8 years.

Multi-layered and complex, enjoy chilled either on its own or with food and in a convivial atmosphere.

For more information about Appellation Marlborough Wine (AMW), please go to http://www.appellationmarlboroughwine.co.nz

Alcohol: 13% abv (75cl)

Closure: Screwcap

Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Flavour Profile: Clean, Fresh, Dry, Powerful, Aromatic, Tropical, Herbaceous, Leesy, Complex, Intense, Mouth-watering acidity.