Catalina Sounds Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Product Information:

This 2023 Catalina Sounds Sauvignon Blanc has vibrancy and clarity expressed in lemon grass, citrus peel and passionfruit aromatics. Balance on the palate is achieved with ripe fruit, creating weight and texture that matches perfectly with the minerality and crisp, bone-dry finish.

2023 seemed like a dream; fruit matured at its own pace, meaning nothing was rushed. As always, all vineyards and sub-blocks are kept as separate as possible. The juice is lightly clarified and then fermented with mostly selected yeasts in stainless steel at low temperatures. A small portion of juice from our estate is fermented in large, seasoned oak to add texture and weight. The wines are left to rest on their lees after fermentation before blending and bottling in July each year. No animal products are used, creating a vegan friendly wine.

Maker:

Catalina sounds officially took flight in 2005 with a singular vision to produce the best wines in Marlborough. Named after the majestic Catalina flying boats and the iconic Marlborough Sounds at our doorstep, Catalina Sounds produces wines that are true to the region and our vineyard sites while building an extra textural dimension – wines that are uniquely Catalina Sounds. The name comes from the majestic Catalina flying boats that played a vital role across the South Pacific during and after World War II. New Zealand’s famous and largest warbird, the Catalina is a rare sight, in fact there are only a handful of these beautiful, iconic planes left in the world today. Get up close to the label, and you can just spot the reflection of the Catalina soaring across the Sounds.

Evolved from their humble origins, Catalina Sounds has quickly reputation for producing premium Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc throughout the world. Now pushing into new varieties such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. Their aim remains to produce a single vineyard range from their over achieving estate vineyard, 'Sound of White'.

Catalina Sounds is accredited with Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand, a core element of their winemaking and viticultural philosophy is protecting, regenerating and planning for a sustainable future. In recent years, Appellation Marlborough Wine (AMW) certification has become an integral piece of their vision to produce the best wines of Marlborough. Catalina Sounds considers AMW as the benchmark for protecting provenance and a signifier of integrity and quality as they look toward the future of Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough in a supply constrained market.

Vineyard:

There is a quiet air of confidence around the quality of the 2023 wines. Yields were 5% down on average, which is always an indicator of higher quality. Growers in the region who held their nerve to hang fruit for ripeness rather than just ‘getting it in…’ certain benefited from the extra ripeness. Up until a certain point in the season, Mother Nature did her best to keep the vineyard managers guessing how harvest might play out. 2023 saw the advantage of more Growing Degree Days compared to previous years including ’20, ’21 and ’22, but also more rainfall in the earlier part of the season from September – December than the past three years. Vine growth and ripening was delayed by almost two weeks, and it was the latest start date in almost a decade as we started harvest on the 23rd of March. The majority of Sauvignon was harvested in April which hasn’t happened in many moons. With the extra time on the vine and clear skies through harvest, fruit was clean, brilliantly ripe with excellent depth of fruit and minerality to match!

Nose - Lemongrass, Gooseberry, Passionfruit
Fresh herbs with a grassy quality, green apple and gooseberry, peach and a light wet stone quality.

Palate - Fresh Herbs, Green Apple, Wet Stone Minerals
Taut, salivating fruity and dry on the finish. Overall a balanced and well made wine with a classic varietal signature with a fresh crunchy fruit expression.

Finish - Taut, Salivating, Bone Dry
Punchy, textural sauvignon blanc with appealing purity. Salivating fruits in a crisp dry style.

A classic bouquet and palate, bright, fresh, crisp and crunchy with flavours of fresh herbs with a grassy quality, green apple and gooseberry, peach and a light wet stone quality. Taut, salivating fruity and dry on the finish. Overall a balanced and well made wine with a classic varietal signature with a fresh crunchy fruit expression. Best drinking from 2024 through 2028. - Cameron Douglas MS, The Shout, 93 Points.

Tangy, vibrant wine with passionfruit, guava, capsicum and gooseberry flavours. Punchy, textural sauvignon blanc with appealing purity. Good food wine in a mouth-watering, bone dry style. - Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review, 92 Points.

The Finer Details
Style - White Wine
Varietal - Sauvignon Blanc
Country - New Zealand
Region - Marlborough
Vintage - 2023
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 13%
Other - Vegan