Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough - 2023

The bucolic Dog Point vineyard (80 hectares) is located on the northeastern tip of the South Island, in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. At the intersection of the Brancott and Omaka valleys, this area in general is home to many vineyards, but the location of Dog Point is considered to be very beneficial to the cultivation of vines. The climate of this sunny and not very rainy region, but which benefits from the oceanic winds, allowing the vines to cool down in autumn, is conducive to a perfect balance of wine, especially for Sauvignon Blanc. The estate takes its name from the first shepherds who imported sheep into New Zealand and whose dogs sometimes got lost, gathering on this parcel in a band of stray dogs.

The first vines in Marlborough date back to 1973. They are planted on silt soils with good drainage. The wines are the product of a blend between these old vines and younger vines planted on clay soils on the hillside. Harvesting is done manually and the wines are stamped organic.

Two families are behind this New Zealand success story: Ivan and Margaret Sutherland on the one hand, and James and Wenda Healy on the other. Always on the job, they run a successful small business and a team whose members are almost all part of one family, all driven by the same enthusiasm.

Dog Point's emblem is the region's ancestral fetish tree, the Ti Kouka or 'Chou Tree', which populates the Marlborough landscape.

Four wines are made from Dog Point production: Sauvignon Blanc, whose lemony notes of dried herbs offer a juicy palate and freshness at first, followed by a roundness in the finish. It goes particularly well with an oyster platter or an old goat's cheese.

Section 94 is the product of Sauvignon Blanc vines dating back to 1992, which have been kept in old French oak barrels for 18 months, allowing the grape variety to mature. Notes of grapefruit and spicy vanilla add freshness to this roundness. This unique parcel produces a wine with a rich and fat texture that goes well with salmon, soft cheeses or poultry.

The Chardonnay, for its part, gives off aromas of lemon, pineapple and white peach, followed by biscuit, oats and roasted hazelnuts. Notes of flint bring character to this toasted wine, characterized by lemony zests but with an astonishing length on the palate. It is perfect with scallops, white flesh fish or pork with barbecue sauce.

Finally the Pinot Noir has an intense and rich bouquet, a dark black colour and a strong and structured palate. Notes of liquorice, plums, black cherries, aniseed spices and nutty oak are remarkable from the first mouthful. It goes well with duck, red meat and cooked mushrooms.