We choose to machine harvest our Sauvignon Blanc, and there are two key drivers for this:
1. Sauvignon Blanc requires generous skin contact to build texture and palate weight.
2. Vital flavour compounds are located in layers immediately below the skins, requiring liberation prior to pressing.
Following harvest, juice was pressed into stainless steel tank (85%) for an inoculated fermentation with thiol-enhancing yeast, and into new French oak barriques (15%) for natural fermentation and aging. Both tank and barrel parcels received regular lees stirring and extended time of lees prior to bottling in mid August. The wine was crossed-flow filtered prior to bottling.