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Tasting Notes

2009 Arona Sauvignon Blanc- Original Review Courtesy of Barker's Marque and Robert K Jones

Background:
Winery & Vineyard - Arona is produced by Barker's Marque Wines. Barkers Marque's award winning wines from Marlborough, New Zealand are the kind of wines that enthusiasts are looking for from this land of discovery – clean, fresh, intense wines of the highest quality. We have earned Top 100 Best Buys for our 2008 and 2009 wines years. " We make 3 distinctive Sauvignon Blancs (who says they all taste the same?) and a single estate Riesling at prices that everyone can afford. Prices that you don’t expect from a family run, niche supplier of wines from unique terroir." They say on their website

Muritai, our family vineyard, is a mile from the sea in Blind River in the Awatere Valley. This Southeastern corner of Marlborough’s wine-growing area produces wines with a distinct style and a growing reputation for fresher, more mineral flavors. Arona is a Blind River wine, with 80% from Muritai and the balance from Tate Estate, 3 km to the West. We shoot thinned just
before Christmas and dropped fruit trying to achieve 12 T/ha. Higher acid meant that the fruit hung out a little longer than usual.

Harvest - The 2008/9 growing season was mild during the spring and early summer, yet a warm turn for the rest of summer and into the harvest season yielded fruit with excellent flavour and consistent character.. Harvested 26 March - 15 April 2009

Fermentation and Aging - Stainless Steel

Winemaker's Notes - The key decisions revolved around acidity. Consistent with our “minimal intervention” philosophy, no deacidification was undertaken, but to help offset the higher toned acidity and provide more softness and better balance to the mid-palate, this wine has had longer on its lees and as much of the clean lees as possible has been kept in the wine. Indeed, the wine remains on lees as I write on Sep 2. The splash of Riesling is a policy I think we will continue with because it aids
in lifting the aromatics of the wine and promoting its fruitier style.

Tasting Notes:

Softer, instantly approachable and with more ripe fruit flavors to balance the traditional intensity of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. The grapefruit nose opens to a full and fruity mouthful of passion fruit and pineapple. A little crisper than usual, Arona continues to promote an aromatic and fruitier style.

Colour:

Soft pale yellow, almost clear

Nose/Aromas:

Citrus, orange blossom and melon with a hint of gooseberry

Palete:

Lovely soft citrus aromas combined with melon and a soft, smooth finish

Acidity:

7.7g/L

Wine Region:

Marlborough, NZ

Alcohol:

13.0%