Whitehaven Marlborough Gewürztraminer – A genuine alternative to Sauvignon Blanc

The Whitehaven Marlborough Gewürztraminer shows how well this South Tyrolean grape variety has acclimatized in Marlborough.

The fruit for this wine comes from the Rapaura site at Whitehaven and from Riverstone Vineyard in the Waihopai Valley. These vines are pruned back to 2–3 shoots per vine and carefully managed throughout the growing season to produce beautifully ripe, clean fruit at harvest time.

The fruit from both vineyards was hand-picked on a cool autumn morning. Once at the winery, the fruit was destemmed and crushed before being pumped into the press. The must remained in the press overnight before being pressed the next morning. The juice was then allowed to settle for 48 hours before being drawn off and warmed for fermentation. During the fermentation process, the must was tasted regularly. When the balance of the wine was right, the fermentation was stopped. After fermentation, the wine remained on the fine lees for 3-4 months before being filtered and bottled on October 12, 2023.

The Whitehaven Marlborough Gewürztraminer is well balanced and can be enjoyed immediately. Nevertheless, it will benefit from a few years of maturation. After 5-7 years of storage, it will develop the typical honey-like complexity.

And this is how the Whitehaven Marlborough Gewürztraminer tastes

From the glass: Whitehaven Marlborough Gewürztraminer exudes a lavish, spicy aroma. Rose petals, honeysuckle, red apple and ginger caress the nose. Hints of cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg are added. On the palate, a true taste explosion, with subtle residual sweetness and a gentle, well-supporting acidity. Lots of fruit extract and a creamy texture, flavors of honeydew melon and ripe orange with a subtle hint of lychee and spices. A very multifaceted wine, playful and with a remarkable finish.