Orchard Lane Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Orchard Lane sits on a quiet Marlborough lane once flanked by apple orchards, the younger sibling of the family run Sugar Loaf Wines in New Zealand. Marlborough is the benchmark home of Sauvignon Blanc, where free draining alluvial soils, high sunshine and cold nights produce the grape's intense, pungent aromatics and racing acidity. The grapes are farmed organically. After fermentation the wine spends three months on its lees, and that short lees ageing softens the sharp edges and adds a touch of texture and depth while leaving the vivid fruit intact. The colour is pale lemon with green tints. The nose is classic Marlborough, loud with passionfruit, gooseberry, lime and freshly cut grass. The palate is dry and zesty, the tropical and green fruit driven by bright acidity to a clean, lasting finish, with the lees lending a subtle roundness across the middle. Serve well chilled at 8 to 10 degrees. It is an excellent match for shellfish and grilled white fish, cuts through fresh goat cheese and asparagus, and works as a lively aperitif on a warm day.