TWR SV Sauvignon Blanc 2022

Reviews

Sam Kim, Wine Orbit: 96/100. Expressing precision and clarity, the wine shows Granny Smith apple, fig, lemongrass, oatmeal and jasmine aromas on the nose, followed by an intensely flavoursome palate offering terrific fruit purity and persistency. Finely textured and brilliantly structured by vibrant acidity, finishing impressively long and mouth-watering. Hand-harvested, hand-sorted, and largely fermented in French oak barrels, yet the oak ‘flavours’ are not apparent, but provides textural saline mouthfeel and flow. This wine proves Sauvignon Blanc can be elevated to show sophistication. At its best: now to 2032

Erin Larkin, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: 95/100. The last time this wine was reviewed was in the 2015 vintage. It was made in 2017 (tiny production), 2020 and now this, the 2022 SV 5182 Sauvignon Blanc. The wine comes from low-cropped, exposed canopies and was picked riper. It was barrel fermented in mainly (80% this year) large old-format French oak, the balance in tank, and then left on the fine lees in the 600-liter neutral oak barrels for 10 months. On the nose, the wine gives us aromas of cassis and bramble, coriander and white pepper, cracked fennel seed and caper brine. This is elegant and restrained, the oak and fruit expertly matched. Often the marriage between oak and Sauvignon Blanc can be tumultuous; the two are not necessarily made for each other, so their matching must be sensitive and well thought through, as this is. It tastes like Marlborough but elevated. Drink Date: 2025 – 2035

Stephen Wong MW (The Real Review): 95/100. Very fresh, herbaceous nose, all green fruit and grass; citrus, salinity, gooseberries. Intense and pungent, this is classic Marlborough sauvignon blanc. The palate is textural and weighty, relying on graininess and phenolics as well as fruit density. There are hints of sweet apple and mascarpone adding complexity to the mid-palate. Powerful, backward, spicy and tight with the gooseberry drawing in on the finish to a saline, tangy finish. Intensely long, full-bodied and unevolved; this has a coiled power and chewiness that will see it develop over a few years. Drinking window 2024–2028

Tasting Note

The wine shows gorgeous white stone-fruit aromatics and lifted florality, layered with gooseberry, ripe tropical notes and subtle hints of basil and lime. On the palate it is fine yet weighty, with vibrant flesy fruit, impressive texture and real concentration. A ripe, juicy acidity provides tension and drive, leading to a persistent mineral finish. The focus here is clearly on fruit weight, structure and layered complexity rather than overt pungency. Delicious now, yet built to evolve.

Aromas and flavours:

Additional information

Type: White wine

Grape varial: Sauvignon Blanc

Food match: Refined seafood dishes, oysters, grilled scallops, lobster, or dishes with fresh herbs. Also excellent with goat’s cheese or elegant vegetarian cuisine.

Vineyard: 100% sourced from the Te Whare Ra Home Block in Renwick, Marlborough. The vineyard is managed with low cropping, meticulous canopy work and rigorous fruit selection. The 2022 season delivered an even flowering, moderate yields and a dry, balanced summer without heat spikes. Harvest took place on 19th and 21st March 2022, producing fruit of outstanding balance and flavour concentration.

Winemaking: All fruit was hand-picked and hand-sorted. Free-run juice and soft pressings were combined for fermentation. Approximately 70% was fermented at warmer temperatures in large-format neutral French oak demi-muids, with the balance fermented in stainless steel. All parcels spent significant time on fine lees to build texture and complexity. The wine was not fined and is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

Alcohol: 12.5% vol

Residual sugar: 0.4 g/l

Total Acidity: 7.0 g/l

Wine style: dry

Bottle size: 0.75l

Notice: contains sulphites

Cellaring potential: Drinking beautifully upon release, yet structured for ageing. Will benefit from 4–7 years of careful cellaring, gaining further complexity and integration.

Closure: Screwcap

Produced and bottled by: TE WHARE RA WINES, 56 Anglesea Street, Renwick, Marlborough, New Zealand