![]() Blind River comes from a hilly site, and the resulting wine shows a lot of gooseberry and grapefruit notes. The region of Awatere displayed bright citrus, fresh herbs and tomato leaf notes. Through extensive tasting and blending, they create the flavour profile of their flagship Sauvignon Blanc, sampling through all of the different potential flavours, and eventually narrowing it down to what will create the ideal blend.Įach individual wine brings a certain characteristic to the final blend. ![]() These individual wines gave us a glimpse into the task of the winemaker for each vintage. Of the 240 vineyards that Kim Crawford either owns or has access to, these were some of the wines made from individual vineyards, each vinified separately to capture the essence of that site, soil, and microclimate. Our task for the day was to learn what regional components go into Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc and then we would try to create it ourselves. The final glass was empty and labelled “Your Blend” – interesting. The rest were all labelled for different areas – different individual vineyards, we soon learned. The classic Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc as well as the Spitfire Sauvignon Blanc, a small parcel (or Reserve-type) version were in two glasses. Upon entering a beautiful dining room at Courtyard restaurant, our group knew our tasting with Kim Crawford wines was going to be a unique experience.Ī huge table set with multiple glasses, all but one at each setting containing a sample of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Seven distinct sub-regions make up Marlborough, and the differences among them hold the key to blending intense and complex Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.In the video above, Kim Crawford Winemaker Anthony Walkenhorst explains how blending works at the winery as we try our own hand at it.Ĭanada’s top wine writers and sommeliers met in our nation’s capital recently for a fascinating tasting, and blending exercise, with Kim Crawford wines. This diurnal shift is one of the critical components contributing to the intensity of our Marlborough wines. Clear cool nights from ocean breezes keep acid levels high in the grapes. The average daily temperature in summer reaches nearly 24✬ or 75✯ resulting in a high heat summation for the growing season.ĭuring the daytime, strong and warm nor’west winds from the mountains prevail, encouraging flower fertility and ripening. The region, situated at 41º latitude south on the north end of the South Island, is one of New Zealand’s sunniest and driest regions. Why Marlborough? - “No other region in the world can match Marlborough, the northeastern corner of New Zealand’s South Island, which seems to be the best place in the world to grow Sauvignon Blanc grapes.” - George M. It was Marlborough that broke the Kim Crawford virtual spell for the new millennium when the founders rented a state of the art winery and purchased vineyards in Marlborough’s cool Waihopai Valley in 2000. This ideal pairing of elements makes Kim Crawford more than just the perfect wine to compliment foods and occasions–it makes it the perfect wine to compliment one of the most stunning regions the world has ever known. In the end, it is this unique combination of factors–from regions and soils, to temperatures and growth rates–that give Kim Crawford a perfect balance of fruit and acidity. In combination with New Zealand’s long and dry autumn season, our grapes ripen slowly, which allows them to build flavor intensity as well as develop a sophisticated acidity. The grapes benefit from long days, clean sea breezes and crisp nights. The vineyards of Kim Crawford are located in outstanding, predominantly coastal sites. Such a large growing area gives Kim Crawford the distinct advantage of a wide range of local climates and soil types to promote distinctive regional flavors and characteristics. With grapes grown between the latitudes of 34º and 47º, our growing regions cover a distance of 1,000 miles from the northern tip of the country to the southern coast. The unique and varied geography of New Zealand helps to insulate our vineyards and protect the grapes from the elements.
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