Cirro Sauvignon Blanc 2015 (12 x 750mL), Marlborough, NZ.

Expert Reviews

The wine shows excellent richness, power and vibrancy, with appealing aromas of passionfruit, feijoa, lime zest and dill on the nose. The palate is intense and flavoursome, and delivers a lingering juicy finish. This is immediate and very pleasing. At its best: now to 2018’ Rating 90 - Sam Kim, Wine Orbit Magazine

Named after the cirro clouds that ae formed above the Southern Alps and Marlborough Sounds, Cirro Wines is the label of winemakers Dave Tyney and Richard Green who operate the Viscosity Wines consultancy. The wines are made from contracted Marlborough vineyards and made in an approachable, consumer friendly style to offer good value. The portfolio includes Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. With each successive release, I see a greater consistency reflecting the growing understanding of the vineyards from which they source their fruit. Here, I review the new 2015 Sauvignon Blanc.

Bright, very pale straw colour with slight green hues, near colourless on the rim. The nose is fresh with intense and well-concentrated aromas of ripe passionfruit interwoven with lime fruit, nuances of cut grass, fresh herbs and a thread of minerals, the aromatics expressed with focus and clarity. Dry to taste and medium-bodied, the palate features a soft, lush core of passionfruit, tropical fruits, lime and cut grass. The mouthfeel is fresh and lively with soft, lacy acidity lending energy and drive, and the wine flows along a very fine-textured line. The flavours of passionfruit are carried to an elegant, soft, dry finish. This is an elegantly luscious and succulent Sauvignon Blanc with passionfruity flavours and fine, dry textures. Serve with Pacific Rim fare, and salads and vegetables over the next 2 years. Fruit one-third each from the lower Wairau, mid-Wairau and Cowslip Valley, Waihopi, cool-fermented in stainless-steel to 13.0% alc. and 3.9 g/L RS, the wine aged on lees. 17.5+/20 Oct 2015 RRP $22.99 4 Stars Raymond Chan