Andrew Jefford: Medium-gold in color. The Pacific warmth is attractively evident in the tropical fruits of this wine: guava and passion fruit. On the palate, it is big, exuberant, open, and vivacious, with a large plug of acidity to give it technical balance. It’s one of those wines, though, that makes me wonder if climate change isn’t pushing New Zealand away from its early SB triumphs... or perhaps we are just beginning to understand the variety in the place a bit more fully. Anyway, this is hugely exuberant but not at all subtle, and fine SB should be subtle, too, even if the subtlety is hiding behind the exuberance 12

Andreas Larsson: Intense and ambitious nose, higher degree of ripeness, with nice yellow fruit finely underlined by some new oak and nutty creamy notes. Quite reminiscent of a white Bordeaux: The oak is shining through a bit on the palate, but it’s offering layers of fruit, a juicy acidity, and fine creamy texture. It feels close to dry without those extra grams of sugar that blurred some other examples. Persistent and promising 16

Stephan Reinhardt: There are hints of new oak and also yeast, and I ask myself, “Is this really necessary with Sauvignon?” Complexity is rarely made by winemaking. If winemaking, please try to manage the acidity that is sharp and searing. I do not believe that there is a great future for this wine 12