Smith & Sheth Sauvignon Blanc Cru Marlborough 2020
YUP. Did we just blow your mind??!! CRU is BACK, people of Earth, and it is just ….SMOKIN’ good, even better and livelier and life-giving than the ‘19 we sold last year (one of the MOST re-requested whites EVER from you all, seriously), and a wine we personally drank at least 3 cases of last summer. OMG, so good — WHATEVER you are doing, PLEASE please grab some of the titillating ‘20!!
OK. Did we convey enough urgency? Cool. We did get less than last time, as the world seems to have caught on…boohoo, but part of the biz! The 95-POINT score from MS Cameron Douglas made it even harder to get…
AHH! The ZEST! The mojo! Can you say TANGY? FINESSE? Complexity? It’s all here -- oyster shell, nectarine, lemony pith, and cray-cray flowers - my goodness, the flowers!! You might get lemon curd, lime zest, or even a touch of something tropical, like lychee-- figure out your own fruit/flower/mineral combos, but mostly just LOVE it!! Killer-fresh and full of electricity….just….you’ll know what we mean when you get the box, rip it open, pour a glass, and think: “I shoulda got more…”. Truly summer drinking at its finest, and a fantastic deal. We can’t say enough about this New Zealand up-and-comer that we will cross our fingers to get a LOT more of. If only we had more...while it lasts!
** This new winery is a collaboration between a legendary Master of Wine (Smith) and Brian Sheth -- read about it in detail HERE, if you like! **
Bright, pale straw-yellow with some depth, slightly lighter on the rim. The nose is soft and pretty, elderflower, lime, passionfruit melded with a little tomato vine and white spice, underlying stony minerals. Medium-bodied, the palate is full and complex with poise, aromas of lime, passionfruit, entwined with a savoury edge of tomato vine, underlined elderflower and honey infused the palate, subtle lime zest and white spice lingers to an elegant, persistent finish. The fruit is well-proportioned and harmonious, shows concentration and ripeness; floral, honey details added complexity flows along with lacy acidity. Mouthfeel is rounded with a little phenolic on a fine-textured line, echoing minerality. This is a poised Sauvignon Blanc with fineness and complexity on a fine-textured palate. Old vines from two vineyard sites, one from stony soil around Renwick township and the other a biodynamic vineyard on the hills above Waihopai Valley; mainly fermented in stainless steel, some wild fermented in fuder and barrel, almost 6 months on lees.
Technical Details
Country: New ZealandRegion: South Island
Appellation: Marlborough
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Winemaker: Smith & Sheth
Alcohol: 13.00%
About The Producer
Founded by US billionaire Brian Sheth and New Zealand viticulturist and Master of Wine Steve Smith, Smith & Sheth is a Hawke's Bay-based producer making wines under the CRU label. The winery also sits alongside sister brands Pyramid Valley in Canterbury and Lowburn Ferry in Central Otago, acquired by the pair in 2017.
Pairing Suggestions
Goat Cheese & Feta, steamed dumplings & prawn tempura
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