drinks bulletin Your source for industry updates
Sauvignon blanc firmly remains Australia’s most popular wine varietal by value, according to IRi MarketEdge Liquor (MAT 31/07/16) and, as the value of New Zealand sauvignon blanc continues to decline, it would seem that there couldn’t be a better time to encourage more Australians to get back to drinking local produce.
Nepenthe, located in South Australia, has just released its 2016 Altitude Sauvignon Blanc and is using the launch as an opportunity to remind consumers what’s so great about Australian sauvy. Nepenthe’s new Chief Winemaker, James Evers, says Australian sauvignon blanc offers more tropical flavours and texture than New Zealand sauvignon blanc and believes our crop could give New Zealand winemakers a real run for their money.
“Though New Zealand still holds the lion’s share when it comes to the sauvignon blanc category, the Australian growth suggests that people are catching on to the fact that our style of wine, in stark contrast to its New Zealand counterpart, is more approachable, tropical and textural,” Evers said.
“Our sauvignon blanc is designed for our climate, our food and our way of life and consumers can taste its versatility. Australian winemakers can see the power of this varietal and are throwing everything but the kitchen sink at the winemaking process to make our style more exciting for consumers.”
New release: 2016 Nepenthe Altitude Sauvignon Blanc
The 2016 Nepenthe Altitude Sauvignon Blanc is now available and it doesn’t miss a beat when compared to previous vintages. This has received a number of gold medals and trophies in the past, including the Best Sauvignon Blanc over £10 at the Decanter World Wine Awards in 2012, and has featured in lists such as the Top 100 Wines and Top 40 Best Buy lists.
The 2016 was a great vintage for the south of Australia, according to Evers, with a warm season that was without any extreme heat waves. The new release is well-balanced, complex and creamy and is a great food wine.
Distributor: Australian Vintage
RRP: $19.99
Print 
PDF
