2021 Deep Down Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand

Winemaker:  Clive Dougall

Deep Down Wines is a new project from biodynamic wine veteran Clive Dougall, president of the New Zealand Organic Wine Growers Association.  He explains the difference between his wine and your average NZ SB: "The pristine fruit comes from Murrays Vineyard, at the
base of the hillside offering silt soils over gravels. Most SB is
grown on gravel, known locally as Greywacke stones, and these produce high acid wines with high tone aromatics. Silt soils offer grapes with more restraint, a softer texture (slightly talc-y), and more subdued aromatics. Organic fruit which typically ripens two weeks earlier than conventional, and offers more fruit concentration at lower alcohol. Re., winemaking, a number of local producers offer a reserve wine that is
wild fermented but we are the only outfit we know who employs a wild ferment for their standard Marlborough SB. This is both conventional and organic producers. I know, ridiculous! Also, we let the SB work through malo which is unheard of – everyone here protects the fruit, yet our aim is to tone down."

So whereas most SB from this area is dialed up way past 11, almost blinding you with those intense flavors (you know, the cat pee, grass, jalapeno, grapefruit, etc.), the Deep Down approach is to ‘turn the
volume down’ so that no single character shouts out and demands attention.  Because they believe that the balance of fruit/acid is key to enjoyment and digestibility. We couldn't agree more, and love that you get the classic NZ terroir in this wine, but it isn't one-dimensional or overwhelming.