2014 TWR (Te Whare Ra) Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough

2014 TWR (Te Whare Ra) Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough SKU #1212012

Price: $18.99

RC 94

DC 93

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Professional Reviews

Raymond Chan
94
Bright, very pale straw colour with slight green hues, near colourless on rim. The nose is very elegant and refined with tightly bound and penetrating aromas of gooseberry fruit, white florals and mouthwatering fresh herb and mineral notes. Subtle passionfruit elements unfold with aeration. Dry to taste and medium-bodied, elegantly presented flavours of white florals, gooseberries and chalky passionfruit form an intense and concentrated core. The mouthfeel is thirst-quenchingly dry with a fine textural line and beautifully balanced acid laciness lending vitality and liveliness. The flavours carry through to a very long, sustained finish. This is a very elegant, refined and intense Sauvignon Blanc with mouthwatering white floral and gooseberry flavours. Serve as n aperitif, with seafood and Pacific Rim fare over the next 2-3 years. Fruit 54% from the Lissaman’s ‘Trelawne Farm’ vineyard in the Awatere and 46% from the ‘TWR Home Block’ in Renwick, the majority of which was hand-picked and hand-sorted, cool-fermented in tank with 8% in seasoned French oak demi-muids to 13.0% alc. and 1.4 g/L RS, the wine aged on lees.

(01/2015)
Decanter
93
*Top Ten NZ Sauv Blancs* Just 1,950 cases of this wine were made. Most of the fruit comes from the Awatere Valley sub region and 7% is barrel fermented, giving lovely structure and seriousness. It's textural and bone-dry with fresh pineapple fruit and grassy notes backed by firm acidity. This will mature well.

K&L Notes

Familiar to many of you by now, TWR is our longest running Direct Import partner from NZ. Husband and wife team Jason and Anna Flowerday run this small organic vineyard in the heart or Marlborough. Truly one of the most incredible wineries in NZ today. The wines are pure, focused, flavorful and laced with complex minerality. Our Direct Import relationship means that these wines represent one of the best values in the store, when you appreciate the quality of the wines produced and level of commitment shown.

Staff Reviews

By: Kelsey McNellis
4/5/2016
K&L Staff Member

This Sauvignon Blanc might be my favorite! TWR is a medium bodied white with ripe stonefruit aromas and hints of grapefruit on the finish. This wine is fresh, balanced and perfect for everyday drinking. The price point makes it hard to resist!
By: Randy Hagerman
11/30/2015
K&L Staff Member

This Sauvignon Blanc represents everything we love about the grape when grown in this region: it's bright and focused, with plenty of citrus and grassy notes. There is some mid-palate weight and texture, while the finish brings long, thirst-quenching acidity. A great wine from a fantastic producer! Drink up!
By: Dave Genevro
11/1/2015
K&L Staff Member

Always one of the staff favorites, TWR gives us this great Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough. The wine has a complex nose, great fruit with a level acid structure. It has great length and follow-through. From all the wines they make: the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Rieslings, Syrah, Toru White Blend, and Sauvignon Blanc, just to name a few, that I have had the privilege of enjoying...they just never cease to amaze me with their pure style of wine making which seems to give them a sense of place of their own. 2014 was a good vintage from some harvest reports for Marlborough I have read. Nice and long drier weather, along with good timing of late rains already 80% through harvest...which solidifies even further to me that this husband and wife team really know what they're doing.
By: Dulcinea Gonzalez
8/24/2015
K&L Staff Member

Deliciously sprite and well-made, this wine exudes a vibrant, lime squeezed over a slice of fresh cut grass aroma that is just downright pretty. On the mouth, the wine is medium bodied with a silky mouthfeel, and displays layers of juicy citrus zing. This is a clean, focused wine from nose to mouthwatering finish. It's a perfect pick for daytime imbibing or pairing with a fresh green avocado salad with shrimp or goat cheese. Super recommended!
By: Steve Bearden
7/28/2015
K&L Staff Member

The 2014 vintage of this wine is just as stunning as the 2013 was, and if anything, is perhaps a bit more electric and dry. This is saline and juicy, with intense kiwi and gooseberry fruit, floral and herb notes and a fine, thirst-quenching mineral texture. This is clean, focused and penetrating.
By: Shaun Green
7/22/2015
K&L Staff Member

Another great direct import from TWR that Ryan has found for us. Lovely aromas of jasmine and gooseberry with a lot of minerality and great presence on the palate. No shrinking violet here, the complex aromatics, exotic fruits and wonderfully broad and expressive regional character are truly penetrating and persistent. The TWR wines are finding a loyal base of fans and it's not surprising!
Top Value! Drink from 2015 to 2017
By: Jim Chanteloup
7/21/2015
K&L Staff Member

Te Whare Ra, or as we say "TWR" has become our Kiwi direct import success story.From the beginning, the wines from Jason and Anna Flowerday have resonated with our more-than-discerning staff...no easy task! This marks the 4th vintage of Sauvignon Blanc we've brought in, and it's a stunner. The fruit for this wine comes mainly from the Awatere Valley, which is known for low-vigor soils and broader diurnal shift, with warmer days and cooler nights enhancing ripeness without losing vibrant acidity. The nose offers lemon blossom, passion fruit, white grapefruit, minerals, herb and a hint of sweet red bell pepper. On the palate, the warmer 2014 vintage brings a richer mid-palate flesh than in previous years, all the while driven by a great acid line to a long lingering finish. Simply put, this is juicy, mouth-watering goodness in a glass...more please!