2023 Rippon Sauvignon Blanc
2023 Rippon Sauvignon Blanc

2023 Rippon Sauvignon Blanc

95 pts
Rippon |Central Otago |Sauvignon Blanc
A savoury, textural take on Sauvignon Blanc from old Central Otago vines, made with wild ferments and a gentle hand for a style that’s built to last.
4.5
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
2 Reviews
Price:
$50.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship, only 1 unit left
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Description

Sauvignon Blanc from Central Otago isn’t something you bump into every day, but Rippon’s older vines have been quietly doing their thing since the late 80s. These are unirrigated, own-rooted plants that have learned to dig deep, pulling all sorts of character out of the schist and clay.

In 2023, Nick Mills split the fruit in two – half went into old French barrels, the rest into tank. No interest in oak flavour here, just using the barrels for the way they shape and move the wine. Wild ferments were left to take their time, with a good stretch on lees to bring some weight and savoury layers into the mix.

The result is nothing like the punchy tropical styles you might expect from NZ Sauvignon. It’s got texture, a bit of grip, subtle fruit, and this chalky, mineral edge that keeps it focused. Serious but not stiff, and built in a way that’ll see it age nicely if you’ve got the patience.

95 points
"The 2023 Sauvignon Blanc is chalky and grassy, with beeswax, pressed flower, juniper, wind anemone and white pepper. I love the dried hay character here; it makes for a clothy, textural wine of presence and detail."
- Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)

94 points
"A symphony of a wine which transcends the variety."
- Stephen Wong (The Real Review)

95 points - "The 2023 Sauvignon Blanc is chalky and grassy, with beeswax, pressed flower, juniper, wind anemone and white pepper. I love the dried hay character here; it makes for a clothy, textural wine of presence and detail. The vines were planted from 1987 to 1993 on own roots and were unirrigated, biodynamically farmed and low-yielding. The wine spent three months on the primary lees, with 50% in barrel (neutral oak) and the balance in tank. It is unsulfured, with no additions or adjustments to the must. 13% alcohol, sealed under Diam." - Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)

94 points - "An intriguing nose with sweet aromas of heather and pea pod lifted above manuka honey and progressively deeper, lees-enriched, savoury layers of baking spice and pastry before a bass note of oyster shell emerges. The palate is equally complex, though the mineral and manuka are at the fore, tapering down to a pithy, long and concentrated grapefruit and white peach flavours before the honeyed and butterscotch notes reassert themselves on the chalky, dry finish. A symphony of a wine which transcends the variety." - Stephen Wong (The Real Review)

93 points - "Layers of pears, stone fruits and passion fruit on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with fine acidity and generous texture, giving notes of lemon peel, grapefruit and slate. Unique, mouthwatering and textured, coming from two days on skins after foot-stomping. Drink now." - JamesSuckling.com

Customer Reviews

4.5
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
Based on 2 reviews
Total 5 star reviews: 1 Total 4 star reviews: 1 Total 3 star reviews: 0 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 0
2 reviews
  • R
    Russell
    Verified Buyer
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    3 years ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    Reviewing
    2021 Rippon Sauvignon Blanc
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Sauvignon Blanc plus a whole lot more

    Over time I have drunk Sauvignon Blanc on “several” occasions and needless to say, enjoyed every one of them. I have never enjoyed a wine that delivered so much more than this Rippon drop, wow. It’s a wine that I was happy to just drink and do nothing else but savour…..complex, full, fresh, unmistakably Sauvignon Blanc plus a whole lot more!

    Was this helpful?
  • PH
    Peter H.
    Verified Buyer
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    5 years ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    Reviewing
    2021 Rippon Sauvignon Blanc
    Rated 4 out of 5 stars
    Good quality sauvy b

    Fair price point and well balanced although lacks a little of that famous Marlborough twang

    Was this helpful?

50% of this wine was fermented in old French barrels, not for the oak, but for the form of the vessel itself. Mouthfeel is gained here by high lees to wine contact and a more efficient natural lees stirring across unhurried wild ferments.

Price Bracket $41 to $50
Type White
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Sauvignon Blanc
Country New Zealand
Region Central Otago
Feature Biodynamic
Cult
Natural/Lo-Fi
Organic
Alcohol 13%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2023
Closure DIAM Cork

Rippon

Rippon Vineyard is one of the most breathtaking sites in Central Otago.

For over a century the Mills family has farmed this small patch of earth on the banks of Lake Wanaka. Nick Mills is the fourth generation of his family to walk the rows on Rippon. He now farms the site according to biodynamic principles.

The Mills family and Rippon are intrinsically linked. There's a deep connection to the land which Nick translates into their superlative wines.

Pinot Noir, Gamay, Riesling and Gewürztraminer all excel at Rippon. The wines are made with patience and love.

In the wines of Rippon, you can sense everything that is transcendent about terroir-driven winemaking where the story of a place is told through the wines it produces.

The bucolic Rippon Vineyard - Central Otago, NZ Rippon

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