Old Coach Road Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Gold - Berliner Wine Trophy 2024, Germany
91 Points (4.5 Stars) - Sam Kim, Wine Orbit August 2023, New Zealand
90 Points - Bob Campbell MW, © The Real Review therealreview.com, New Zealand

Vineyard: Seifried Brightwater, Rabbit Island, Queen Victoria & Redwood Valley vineyards
Sugar at Harvest: 21.5° Brix
Date of Harvest: Mid - late March 2023
pH of Wine: 3.35
T.A of Wine: 8.0g/L
Residual Sugar of Wine: 2.7g/L
Suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans: Yes

Our Brightwater vineyard is situated 15 km from the coast and is sheltered from the south by the Richmond Ranges. The ‘soil’ is a combination of rocks and boulders which is very hard on farm equipment, but vital for holding the warmth of Nelson’s sun and for ripening the grapes.

Our Rabbit Island vineyard is situated on a wide river flat. The soil is gravelly sandy loam which is very free-draining. This vineyard is about 1.5 km from the sea which helps moderate temperatures.

Our Queen Victoria vineyard is located in the Motueka area in the heart of a region known for its apple orchards, kiwifruit and hops. Our grapes are grown on very stony free-draining soils giving lovely fruit clarity and varietal intensity.

The unirrigated Redwood Valley vineyard is situated on a gently sloping, north-facing clay site; the vines range in age from 10 to 30 years. Vertical shoot positioning helps to expose the berries to sunlight, thus getting maximum intensity and optimal ripeness.

In the vineyard, leaves were removed from around the fruiting zone to allow light penetration and air movement around the ripening bunches. Parcels of fruit were
picked when flavours, sugars and grape acids were nicely in balance, giving fruit with intensely varietal flavours and a fresh, lasting acidity. 2023 was a cooler year than usual in Nelson resulting in delicate aromatics and bright acidity. We enjoyed a lovely settled warm run of the weather as fruit was ripening and and during the vital harvest period in March.