Forefathers 2004 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand

Philosophy

Forefathers Sauvignon Blanc comes from a single vineyard on an eastern slope in the heart of Marlborough. The vineyard is situated east of the town of Blenheim, on the Hawkesbury River, and is comprised of a gravely loam soil which allows for good control of irrigation, great exposure of the clusters, and long hang time. There is also good air change, which is key to winter frosts and summer heat.

The Sauvignon Blanc by Forefathers is one of three single vineyard wines produced by Goldschmidt Vineyards. The Forefathers' wines include a Shiraz from McLaren Vale in Australia, and a Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley in California. "Forefathers" means "the best appellation, or the forefather appellation, for that variety in the New World".

Winemaking

Forefathers’ wines have structure, intensity and complexity. Only ripe grapes with excellent maturity and well-developed flavors are selected. Ripeness means intensity of flavors and weight in the mouth. The fruit was harvested at night to avoid the heat of the day and immediately pressed off to separate juice and skins. This makes the wine delicate and fruit-driven. The wine was tank fermented and left on lees to accentuate creaminess.

Characteristics

This wine offers citrus, stone fruit (peach) and pear characters in both aroma and taste. The wine is fully textural with good fruit and body in the mid-palate. The finish, being a little more structural, gives excellent length and delivery.

Appellation:	Marlborough, New Zealand
Varietal Composition:	100% sauvignon blanc
TA:	6.2 g/liter
pH:	3.20
Alcohol:	13.3% by volume
Production:	7,500 cases

Winemaker Comments

"The key to Forefathers is balance and complexity with underlying power. On the palate the wine is firm, creamy and viscous. The long silky mouth makes the wine drink beautifully now, and will improve over the next three years. The 2004 vintage brought a lot of challenges, not the least of which was the cool season, which extended hang time. This worried many growers with the potential for rain but we held on without incident. No rain, not a lot of high temperatures, and as a result - a perfect ripening season. It will be difficult to see this quality again for many years".

Goldschmidt Vineyard | Forefathers

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