Success for Serious Sauvignon!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 2009 – Marlborough,
New Zealand

Success for Serious Sauvignon!

Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Gets a Gold at the International Wine Challenge 2009:
Success for Serious Sauvignon!

As the sun rises over another beautiful (although chilly!) day in Marlborough, the party in London is in full swing.

Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc 2008 has scooped a sought-after gold medal at London’s prestigious International Wine Challenge – The largest Wine Competition in the World.

Nautilus winemaker, Clive Jones, took the 2008 vintage - his eleventh consecutive vintage at the Estate - in his stride and, with the help of a great viti- vini- team, as well as a small and long-standing coterie of growers, was able to produce one of his best Sauvignon Blancs yet.

“We did what we always do” says Jones. “We picked the fruit off a number of diverse sites harnessing the different characters offered by Marlborough’s sub-regions. Nautilus has been crafting wine for over twenty years, and I think we have got a pretty good understanding of the different sites and what they can contribute to our wines. The grapes are picked at optimum ripeness and flavour development. We are lucky to have a very modern winery with the space and facilities to make a larger than expected vintage a breeze. At the same time, we are still relatively small in scale and are not constrained by logistical issues. It’s a truly hands-on affair.”

The judges would no doubt agree. They commented that the Nautilus wine is “Green and voluptuous with hints of smoke on the nose. Nice balance, crisp, with good length. Quite restrained, almost mineral edge, good and crunchy, with nice length. A classy wine.” Jones advises that this wine is one which will continue to develop over the next twelve to eighteen months.

In a competitive field, Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc 2008 was one of just 6 New Zealand white wines to win gold, including 3 other Marlborough Sauvignons.

Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc 2008 also received a 90 point score in Wine Spectator magazine in the USA last month

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