Saint Clair "Dillons Point" Sauvignon Blanc 2023
(Marlborough, New Zealand) - [WS 93] [DM 90]

About the Winery:
Neal and Judy Ibbotson have been viticulture pioneers in Marlborough since 1978. The grapes from their vineyard were originally supplied to local wine companies, however they wanted to showcase the quality they had achieved in their vineyards through to the finished wine as well. This desire is what led to the establishment of Saint Clair Family Estate in 1994.

Our mission is to create world-class wines that exceed our customers’ every expectation. Neal combines his extensive viticultural expertise, the unique mix of Marlborough’s climate and soils, and the talent of one of New Zealand’s leading winemaking teams to achieve this mission.

About the Wine:
Fruit was sourced from a selection of vineyards located predominantly in the lower Wairau sub-region. This is what Saint Clair regards as Marlborough’s best sub-region for Sauvignon Blanc, producing wines with heightened expression. Each vineyard block was harvested at optimum flavour maturity and physiological ripeness. Grapes were transported to the winery quickly and pressed off immediately to minimize skin contact. After cold settling the juice from each batch was fermented at cool temperatures using selected yeast strains.

Tasting Notes:
A pale straw color. Tropical notes of passionfruit, grapefruit and blackcurrant combine with herbaceous characters and a subtle salty note. Rich and weighty with pungent flavors of passionfruit and fresh grapefruit along with green notes of nettle and capsicum. A salty minerality leads to a long lingering finish. A perfect match for any freshly prepared shellfish.

Perfect for drinking immediately, this wine will be at its best over the next two to three years.

Ratings & Reviews

93 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Lush and mouthwatering, with wonderful precision to the fresh pomelo and yuzu flavors and fragrant lemon zest at the core. Offers savory accents of candied ginger, litsea oil, sea salt and lemon balm, while a hint of matcha lingers on the long, expressive finish. Drink now. 22,344 cases made, 22,344 cases imported. – MW (Oct 2024)

90 Points & Silver Medal, World Wine Awards - Decanter Magazine:
"White peach, citrus, passionfruit and dried herb influences. High acid pulls the flavours together delivering a crisp, steely palate."

Wine Enthusiast:
Pale, almost to the point of colorless, this is a delicate style with notes of guava, lime and passion fruit. It's gently slippery in texture, with mouthwatering acidity, length and overall restraint. - Christina Pickard (Oct 2024)