Clos Henri Si Otira Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Clos Henri Sauvignon Blanc, crisp, elegant yet textured, grapefruit and stones, cool Marlborough Sauvignon. Although a point of difference is not easy in the land of Marlborough Sauvignon, this wine is not just a glass of gooseberry juice with some added acid and 14% abv. It has a crispness that is more natural, a fruit profile that is leaner and more towards grapefruit and green apple than gooseberry and is also has the natural acid to age well from producer Henri Bourgeois who made his name in Sancerre.  This Sauvignon spends some time in barrels to round out the edges and add extra texture.

This is a 96 hectare property bought by the Bourgeois wine family (of Sancerre Fame) in 2001.

They are committed to maintaining the bio-diversity of the farm and have plented various legumes and other crops over the last 15 years whilst converting the estate steadily to vineyard. The site is unique in that it consists of several soil types – gravels and clays as well as sloping land and hillsides. The gravel is found in Renwick: it’s this that contributes to the fame of the region’s Sauvignon. The result of ancient rivers this type of soil provides wines with elegance and crispness. The second kind of soil is found in Broadbridge, a greyish-brown clay with ochre tints (indicating a high iron content), appropriate to the cultivation of Pinot Noir. Wines produced here are round with complex aromas and good length. The final soil in Clos Henri, a kind of yellow-grey clay, is to be found on the very steep slopes of Wither where the vines enjoy excellent exposure to the sun. All these soils have only been used for pasture and never exposed to insecticides, herbicides or any other form of chemical treatments. The Bourgeois family are committed to maintain the local biodiversity.