Alluviale Blanc 2010 750ml

Winery: Alluviale

Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc

The green skinned grapes of the Sauvignon Blanc varietal had their origins in Southern France, where they are still widely grown and used for many of the excellent young and aged white wines the region is famous for. Today, however, they are grown in almost every wine producing country in the world, and are widely revered for their fresh and grassy flavors, full of tropical notes and refreshing, zesty character. Sauvignon Blanc grapes thrive best in moderate climates, and ripen relatively early in the year. This has made them a favorite for many wineries in the New World, where they can still produce healthy and high yields in the earlier part of the summer before the temperatures become too hot. Too much heat has a massively adverse effect on Sauvignon Blanc, as the grapes become dull in their flavor, and the wine produced from them loses all its unique character and high points. As such, Sauvignon Blanc farmers have had a lot of trouble from global warming and climate change, as they are being forced to harvest their crops increasingly earlier in the year when it is cool enough to do so.

Region: Hawkes Bay

New Zealand is a fascinating country when it comes to New World wines, and there are few wine regions within New Zealand with as much dedication to quality, heritage and history as that of Hawkes Bay, situated in the northern part of the northern island. In Hawkes Bay, wineries have been planting and processing fine imported grape varietals for over a hundred and fifty years, and making characterful and flavorful wines from the Chardonnay, Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes which flourish under the hot sunshine and in the mineral rich soils which typify the region. The past couple of decades have seen much expansion in Hawkes Bay, and the seven sub-regions the bay is split into have all increased their production to meet growing international interest and demand.

Country: New Zealand

When it comes to New World wines, few countries can compete with Europe quite as well as New Zealand, where modern techniques and technologies are allowing wineries to get the very best results from the wide range of imported grape varieties which flourish there. The warm, sunny climate coupled with brisk oceanic winds and remarkably fertile volcanic soils produce grapes of exceptional quality, and New Zealand wines are notable for their ability to carry the terroir they are grown on into the bottle. Whilst the Sauvignon Blanc wines are probably the most widely exported and popular to come out of new Zealand, fantastic results have been produced from the Bordeaux style wines made in the Auckland region, and the Pinot Noir wines of Central Otago. These Pinot Noir wines are far more fleshy than their Burgundy counterparts, and are probably best enjoyed when young, and bursting with the fruit flavors they carry so well.