Saint Clair Pioneer Block 3 Sauvignon Blanc 2011

GOLD MEDAL - Liquorland Top 100 GOLD MEDAL - Royal Easter Show Wine Awards This is Saint Clair's flagship variety and accounts for over 60% of sales. Saint Clair's aim is to be the best producer of this variety in New Zealand and results over the last two to three vintages would arguably indicate this aim is being achieved on a consistent basis. Neal and Judy Ibbotson were pioneers in the Marlborough wine industry, first planting vineyards in the valley's unique climate and soils in 1978 and then establishing Saint Clair Estate in 1994. Premium quality grapes, produced from vines that are now fully mature, combined with the proven experience of winemaker Matt Thomson, produce elegant, world class wines. This is an outstanding alternative to Cloudy Bay, regarded as having a smoother, fruitier edge. Grapes : 100% Sauvignon Blanc '43 Degrees' Vineyard Region : New Zealand / Marlborough / Lower Wairau area, east of Blenheim. Maker : Matt Thompson. Notes : Pale straw with a powerful and intense aroma and palate of crushed herbs, blackcurrant buds, passionfruit and gooseberry. It is distinctively Marlborough with a wonderfully full and rich palate with striking minerality leading to a long, lasting finish. It is the crushed herb flavours that is a point of difference for this wine. Serve : An ideal match with vegetarian cuisine or fresh seafood with summer salads. ABV : 13.5% Suitable for Vegetarians

This is Saint Clairs flagship variety and accounts for over 60% of sales. Saint Clairs aim is to be the best producer of this variety in New Zealand. Show results over the last two to three vintages would arguably indicate this aim is being achieved on a consistent basis. Neal and Judy Ibbotson were pioneers in the Marlborough wine industry, first planting vineyards in the valleys unique climate and soils in 1978 and then establishing Saint Clair Estate in 1994. Premium quality grapes, produced from vines that are now fully mature, combined with the proven experience of winemaker Matt Thomson, produce elegant, world class wines VINTAGE: 2009 REGION: Marlboroughs Lower Wairau area, east of Blenheim. TERRA: Soil: Even, fertile, deep free draining silt loams. Topography: Flat, with rows unusually running north-east to south-west at a 45 degree angle. Climate: Slightly cooler than most of the Marlborough Valley with a slower longer ripening period. Vine Age: Fourth year cropping. VITICULTURE: The fruit was sourced from a single vineyard on the fertile, free-draining soils of the lower Wairau Valley. The fruit was carefully monitored during ripening and harvested in the cool of the evening at maximum flavour maturity and physiological ripeness. WINE ANALYSIS: Alcohol 12.5% v/v, Titratable Acid 7.7g/litre, Residual Sugar 4.2g/litre, pH 3.44 FOOD MATCH: An ideal match with vegetarian cuisine or fresh seafood with summer salads. WINEMAKING: The fruit was pressed off as quickly as possible to minimise skin contact and juice deterioration following harvesting. After settling the juice was fermented using selected yeast in 100 per cent stainless steel at cool temperatures to retain fruit flavour and freshness. This batch was selected as a Pioneer Block wine due to its unique flavour, intensity and complexity. COLOUR: Pale straw AROMA: Powerful and intense aromas of crushed herb, blackcurrant bud, passionfruit and gooseberry. PALATE: This Sauvignon Blanc is distinctively Marlborough and has a fresh vibrant palate of passionfruit, gooseberry and crushed herb. The wine has a wonderfully full and rich palate with striking minerality leading to a long, lasting finish. It is the crushed herb flavours that is a point of difference for this wine. AGEING: This wine is drinking beautifully now and may also be enjoyed over the next few years.