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Premium Sauvignon Blanc

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Fairbourne – A Super Savvie

October 1, 2015 by Russell

Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, has recently published a list of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc wines that he expects to be super savvies, and we’re pleased to say we’re on the list!

Bob says that he expects Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from 2015 to be a very special vintage, and we couldn’t agree more.

Read his article HERE.

Screen Shot 2015-09-30 at 11.26.54 amSarah & I feel like we’re double dipping as far as vintage goes this year. Having had a wonderful New Zealand harvest earlier in the year, we’re thrilled to be ensconced in Chavignol, Sancerre for another harvest.

We’ve been part of the third earliest harvest in the region since 1976! We’ve been earning our keep… Picking is completed by picking into a bucket, once full, these are transferred to the Hotte, (pronounced ‘OT’).
Then the Hotte is emptied into the trailer. The Hotte carries an average load of 65-70 kg, 80 kg if full!

Sarah’s been helping with the processing, and getting a regular dose of cellar envy…

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It won’t be long before we head back to New Zealand and we’ll be bringing some “old world” knowledge from Sancerre; that we know will translate into another stellar Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc…

 

Filed Under: Fairbourne, Hand Picked, Harvest, Loire Valley, Sauvignon Blanc, Wine Reviews

What is Terroir?

August 17, 2015 by Russell

Have you ever wondered what Terroir means? Look it up in a dictionary and you’ll be given a definition that reads something like this…

The complete natural environment in which a particular wine is produced, including factors such as the soil, topography, and climate.

But Sarah and I believe it’s more than that, as well as a sense of place, our interpretation of the word includes a sense of behaviour and a sense of culture.

Whilst it’s true that in terms of terroir, a wine’s flavour and structural characteristics can reflect soil types and climate; it can also reflect the nature of the winemaker and importantly the processes they adopt.

When we introduced Fairbourne to the discerning London market, the client was looking for a new world wine to bridge the gap between the popular “Marlborough style” and their serious Sancerre wines of the Loire Valley. Looking for a wine that represented where it was grown, the ability to age gracefully and some of the vibrancy of new world Sauvignon Blanc. Fairbourne was the wine they chose to meet that new market segment and we have been supplying for the past 6 vintages. Consistency is also sought after by buyers looking at super premium wines.

We committed Fairbourne to varietal specialisation and sustainably managed vines to grow consistent, site specific premium Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Our grapes are hand-picked from a single site and grown on a hillside vineyard with clay gravel soils. Restraint is the key influence of the Fairbourne winemaking philosophy. Grapes are fermented as site batches with neutral yeast to capture their individual fruit and site expressions. Fermentation is managed in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks over a four week period. The batches are carefully blended, including a small portion barrel fermented in new French oak, this creates a silky entry, which generously ascends across the palate with a supple texture and dry finish.

Because our wines are terroir inspired, it probably serves as no surprise, that Sarah and I have always been intrigued by Sancerre; we’re excited to be heading to the Loire Valley in a few weeks time to ensconce ourselves in a French harvest. We’ll be sharing our travels on the blog, so stay tuned… There will undoubtedly be some culinary delights to share!

LoireValley

Filed Under: Distributors, Fairbourne, Hand Picked, Harvest, Loire Valley, Sauvignon Blanc, Terroir

Sauvignon Blanc

Here at Fairbourne Estate we make premium, handpicked, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. The word Sauvignon is a derivative from the French word Sauvage meaning wild or savage and of course the word blanc is the French word for white. The wild or … Read More

A little spice is very nice!

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