Astrolabe Sauvignon Blanc 2023
(Marlborough, New Zealand) - [BC 94] [WS 93] [JS 91] [VM 90] [WE 90]

About this Wine: 
The Astrolabe Province Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is made from grapes grown across three Marlborough sub-regions: the Wairau Valley, the Awatere Valley and the Kēkerengū Coast. The blend of sites, soils and aspects within this wine gives it great complexity, reflecting both the capability of the region as a whole and my own palate. I have sought out sites across the whole Marlborough wine region, looking for different soils and climates and carefully managing cropping levels so that I have the best fruit to work from.

We machine harvest the grapes at night or in the cool parts of the day to preserve the purity and intensity of flavours. In the winery, I take great care to handle the fruit in a way which allows the flavours and aromas of the region to come through. At the end of the growing season, I look at all the wines I have made from the various sub-regions and try to put together the most complete and balanced, integrated version of a Marlborough sauvignon blanc.

I blend to suit what I think is Astrolabe’s style, which reflects what I’ve learnt as a winemaker and drinker over the years. My style is dry, expressive and elegantly balanced. For me it is about getting a lovely sense of fully developed green spectrum flavours from all these different sites and putting them in a glass in a way that is well-styled and elegant. My Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc always presents with ripe green flavours like passionfruit, blackcurrant leaf and gooseberry. In the palate, it is full and round and finishes dry and lingering.

This is a drier style of sauvignon blanc, acidity kept nicely in balance with the alcohol and the very little residual sugar that is there, so it’s all about how all these things come together to make a pleasurable whole. I craft my wines so that nothing stands out as one singular spike, instead revealing a lovely layering of flavours and aromas that people can keep finding as they spend time savouring the glass.

Simon Waghorn — Winemaker

Tasting Notes:

COLOR/APPEARANCE
Pale straw with green highlights.

AROMA/BOUQUET
Powerful gooseberry, white currant, red capsicum, passionfruit and lime peel aromas.

PALATE
Medium-bodied, with strong flavors of makrut lime, passionfruit, lemongrass and a refreshingly smooth, dry and persistent finish. 

AGING POTENTIAL
How long you can keep sauvignon blanc aging depends on the quality of wine, winemaking methods and the taster’s palate preferences. This wine is made in classic style and can be enjoyed fresh, but it will bottle age gracefully with careful cellaring. 

FOOD PAIRING
Fresh, leafy green salads; goat’s cheese; seafood of all types; and dishes with lifted, aromatic herbs.

Ratings & Reviews

94 Points - Bob Campbell:
Bright, fresh sauvignon with lime, grapefruit, capsicum and lemon curd supported by fine, mouth-watering acidity. Crisp, dry wine with an ethereal texture and lingering finish. High energy wine that is hard to fault

93 Points - Wine Spectator:
"A fresh and zippy white, offering a vibrant mouthful of green papaya, passion fruit and Key lime flavors that are generous and concentrated on a smooth and mouthwatering frame. Hints of green tea, lemongrass and pink peppercorn add more dimensions on the long, expressive finish. Drink now. 10,000 cases imported." - MW (Oct 2024)

91 Points - James Suckling:
"Lots of lemon and lime skin with some lemongrass and crushed cement. Medium body, good density and plenty of flavor with a creamy texture and a crisp finish. Solid sauvignon. Drink now. Screw cap." (Dec 2023)

90 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough is a richly flavored, textured expression. Sourced from eight different vineyards across the Marlborough region, with the majority in the cooler, windier areas of the Awatere Valley and Kekerengu, the wine focuses on the greener spectrum of the variety, particularly sweet gooseberry and elderflower fruit. While many Sauvignon Blancs can be accused of lacking texture, some of the sites are on clay, which may explain the rounder, more succulent mouthfeel. Or perhaps it's the warm autumn that made the difference here. Whatever it is, it's an interesting and attractive, lightly structured Sauvignon Blanc that offers something for everyone." - Rebecca Gibb MW (Apr 2024)

90 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"Bright pineapple, citrus and tomato leaf comprise both aroma and flavor on this vibrant, well-balanced Sauvignon Blanc. There's some textural interest and a long pithy finish." - CP (Oct 2024)