From: Marlborough, New Zealand
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Taste and Critical Acclaim: This Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc shines as bright as a diamond and is much more affordable. Pure and inviting, with aromas that jump from the glass, the 2023 Estate Sauvignon Blanc holds ripe citrus, orange blossom, and white peach notes. The vivacious palate offers a refreshing acidity, unfolding with flavors of ripe peach and nectarine. It also has satisfying weight and length with a soft gunflint/ stone minerality. Lovely.
“From a top biodynamic estate, this punches well above its price point, with none of the underripe Marlborough Sauvignon characteristics and all of the enticement of orchard blossoms and honey-drizzled citrus fruit. There's a signature stony mineral nuance at its core. The palate is harmonious with just-right acidity, lovely texture, flavor concentration and a long limey finish. Yum.” —Wine Enthusiast, 93 points
“Very fresh and clean with a mountain stream-like transparency. It’s light-bodied but has a density and tension as well as subtle and vivid flavors of Meyer lemons and crushed stone.” —James Suckling, 93 points (March 2024)
Pairing: The 2023 Clos Henri Estate Sauvignon Blanc will taste amazing alongside a variety of fresh dishes that incorporate citrus-forward sauces and herbs. Think salads, light chicken preparations, crab, lobster, white fish like halibut and cod, oysters, calamari, ceviche, smoked salmon, a goat cheese tart, or even not-too-spicy Thai green curry. The following recipe would be wonderful for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Goat Cheese and Dill Dutch Baby
By Yewande Komolafe
About. Situated in Sancerre, France, the family estate of Henri Bourgeois has been passed down through the family for ten generations. Now an established winegrower in Sancerre, the Bourgeois Family is immensely respected for their commitment to terroir-driven expressions of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Clos Henri, their family vineyard in Marlborough, tells the journey of a family who has cultivated vines both in Chavignol, Sancerre and Marlborough, New Zealand.
The major turning point in the Family’s history was Henri Bourgeois. Starting with the cultivation of two hectares on the hills of Chavignol, he made the audacious bet, in the 1950s, to devote himself to his vines in a region that was still unknown. This was the birthplace of the quality wines to which he lent his name. His sons, Jean-Marie and Rémi, joined him in the 1960s and continued the adventure: they discovered new terroirs, acquired land and became ambassadors for the reputation of Sancerre in France and abroad.
Their ‘Great Search’ spanned 12 years, finally leading them to Marlborough, New Zealand’s wine capital, in 2000. It was here in the Wairau Valley, carved by ancient glaciers over millions of years, that the pair found soils most similar to their native Sancerre. Quickly they identified the potential of the region to nurture ultra premium Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.
Taken by the youthfulness and untouched nature of its soils, they fell in love with Marlborough and its terroir, along with its wines. With eight generations of pioneering winemakers behind them, they made the instinctive and emotive decision to set down roots in the region. Rémi and Jean-Marie purchased 98 hectares of land in the Wairau Valley, proudly naming it ‘Clos Henri, pronounced “Klo Enrie”: Henri in honour of their pioneering father and his commitment to producing world-class wines, ‘Clos’ being a French word which represents the ancient custom of enclosing a unique vineyard or precious garden, traditionally with a stone wall.
Today, Arnaud, Lionel and Jean-Christophe Bourgeois are as much the heirs of these men as they are the initiators of the future of the vines and wines of the house. The family works closely together, translating their individual vivacities and own generous personalities into the wines, now naturally associated with the name "Famille Bourgeois”.
About this wine. Sourced from various plots of 10-18 year-old vines across the Clos Henri property, the 2023 Clos Henri Estate Sauvignon Blanc is a fine representation of their unique site. Following the French tradition, their vineyards are planted in high density. Dry farming and organic practices allow them to ensure that a natural balance is achieved by stressing the vines to just the right level. This forces the roots to go deeper in the soil to obtain the purest expression of terroir and show more minerality from the stone soils.
After the grapes are harvested, they are gently pressed and the free run juice is separated to ferment in stainless steel tanks to retain the purity of the fruit. The wine then ages on its fine lees for three months with lees stirring. The resulting wine is textural, complex, and round.
