Auntsfield continues the proud heritage of Marlborough’s first vineyard and winery established in 1873.
Our Single Block wines display qualities distinctive to grapes grown within a defined area at Auntsfield Estate. Consistent quality and character over many vintages has separated these Single Blocks out as producing our Reserve Wines.
South Oaks Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc – This small 2 hectare block is situated at the very southern elevated corner of the vineyard next to some old Oak trees. It has a unique free draining soil made up of crushed Greywacke rock that has fallen from the steep hill behind.
COLOUR: Bright straw
AROMA: Ripe tropical fruit core with mango, ripe passionfruit and citrus. Lifted notes of dry herbs and lime leaf, supplemented by complex aromas of honeycomb, vanilla bean and roasted hazelnut.
PALATE: This wine displays tension and great length. The palate is tight and fresh, supported with a rich and creamy structure and underlying chalky minerality providing linear structure. The mouthfeel is intense and yet seamless and well balanced.
ANALYSIS: Alc. 14% | pH 3.11 | TA 7.4
WINEMAKER NOTES: The fruit is hand-picked into small baskets. At the winery it is hand sorted then gently whole bunch pressed, and the juice fermented in French oak barriques (20% new oak). After fermentation the wine is aged in French oak barrels on yeast lees for 10 months.
VITICULTURIST NOTES: Vigour and fertility in this block is very low resulting from the high Greywacke rock content. As a result the vines are treated differently to normal Sauvignon Blanc with only 2 canes laid, shoot thinned to 16 shoots, hand leaf plucked with a high 80% exposure. Very small berried and open bunches are typical in this block, with an average cropping level of 2.5 kg per vine. At harvest the berries take on a blush appearance as it is ripened to around 24-25 Brix. One of the secrets to this block is that it holds its acidity level at high brix / ripeness levels.
COLOUR: Bright straw
AROMA: Ripe tropical fruit core with mango, passionfruit, lychee and citrus. Lifted notes of dry herbs and lime leaf, supplemented by complex aromas of honeycomb and roasted hazelnut.
PALATE: This wine displays tension and great length. The palate is tight and fresh, supported with a rich and creamy structure and underlying chalky minerality providing linear structure. The mouthfeel is intense and yet seamless and well balanced.
ANALYSIS: Alc. 14% | pH 3.21 | TA 6.3
WINEMAKER NOTES: The fruit is hand-picked into small baskets. At the winery it is hand sorted then gently whole bunch pressed, and the juice fermented in French oak barriques (20% new oak). After fermentation the wine is aged in French oak barrels on yeast lees for 10 months.
VITICULTURIST NOTES: Vigour and fertility in this block is very low resulting from the high Greywacke rock content. As a result the vines are treated differently to normal Sauvignon Blanc with only 2 canes laid, shoot thinned to 16 shoots, hand leaf plucked with a high 80% exposure. Very small berried and open bunches are typical in this block, with an average cropping level of 2.5kg per vine. At harvest the berries take on a blush appearance as it is ripened to around 24-25 Brix. One of the secrets to this block is that it holds its acidity level at high brix / ripeness levels.
COLOUR: Bright straw
AROMA: Ripe tropical fruit core with mango, ripe passionfruit and citrus. Lifted notes of dry herbs and lime leaf, supplemented by complex aromas of honeycomb, vanilla bean and roasted hazelnut.
PALATE: This wine displays tension and great length. The palate is tight and fresh, supported with a rich and creamy structure and underlying chalky minerality providing linear structure. The mouthfeel is intense and yet seamless and well balanced.
ANALYSIS: Alc. 14.5% | pH 3.16 | TA 7.1
WINEMAKER NOTES: The fruit is hand-picked into small baskets. At the winery it is hand sorted then gently whole bunch pressed, and the juice fermented in French oak barriques (20% new oak).
After fermentation the wine is aged in French oak barrels on yeast lees for 10 months.
VITICULTURIST NOTES: Vigour and fertility in this block is very low resulting from the high Greywacke rock content.As a result the vines are treated differently to normal Sauvignon Blanc with only 2 canes laid,shoot thinned to 16 shoots, hand leaf plucked with a high 80% exposure. Very small berried and open bunches are typical in this block, with an average cropping level of 2.5kg per vine. At harvest the berries take on a blush appearance as it is ripened to around 24-25 Brix. One of the secrets to this block is that it holds its acidity level at high brix / ripeness levels.
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