Table of Contents
The Loveblock Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020 is an estate-grown, sustainably farmed wine from Kim and Erica Crawford’s New Zealand winery. Yes, that Kim Crawford, from the brand that is almost synonymous with New Zealand wine.
The Crawfords sold their brand back in 2004 and stayed with the company for a few years before starting Loveblock. Kim Crawford wines are now owned by Constellation Brands and Loveblock is owned by Kim and Erica Crawford.
Loveblock specializes in organic and sustainably farmed wines. It seems the organic wines are sold in the Australian and New Zealand markets and North America gets the sustainably farmed wines. It is a lengthy and costly process to obtain organic certification.
The Loveblock Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020 is sourced from two vineyards one in the Lower Dashwood region and another in the Lower Walhopal region. The soil types are similar but each vineyard has variations in climate.
This wine was fermented in small batches, with grapes from the same soli types kept together. Most of the juice was fermented in stainless steel vats but a small amount (about 10%) was fermented in neutral oak barrels. There is no air transfer in the stainless steel vat, but an oak barrel lets a tiny amount of air into the wine. That minuscule amount of oxygen will make a difference in the wine. Everything the winemaker does has some effect.
In a marked change from most value-priced Sauvignon Blanc, about 30% of this wine underwent malolactic fermentation. Malolactic fermentation is almost always used in Red wine and often with Chardonnay. It changes the tart, sharp acid in the grapes into rounded tasting acid.
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is known and prized for its bright acidity, but the Loveblock will feature a Bordeaux Blanc acidity. New Zealand Sauv Blanc can have bold, spiky flavors, but the Loveblock should smooth out those flavors. The alcohol content is 13.5%.
The Loveblock Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020 Tasting Notes
The color is a pale sunshine yellow. The nose is bright, but subdued tropical fruit, lemon, green apple, pear, peach, grapefruit, pineapple, and spring flowers. The Loveblock Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020 is softer on the palate than the typical NZ Sauv Blanc, but it has an abundance of flavor.
This Sauvignon Blanc tastes like a stew of lemon, peach, pear, apple, and dried pineapple, followed by soft spice, and nectarine. The mid-palate enjoys faint tangerine, pink grapefruit, all with a slightly syrupy mouthfeel. There is a touch of salt on the lengthy finish.
The Summary
- The Loveblock Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020 is delicious.
- It is well-made, with excellent length, controlled acidity, and a long array of interesting flavors.
- The more I sip the more I want to sip.
Listen to the absolutely brilliant PODCAST below, click on it, it’s ok!!!
