Kim Crawford `Spitfire` Small Parcels Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Pale straw yellow in colour. The wine reveals intense, lifted aromatics of tropical fruit that lead into a range of complex flavours, including distinct mineral and flinty notes. The combination of a satisfyingly rich palate with a juicy acidity really accentuates the texture of this characterful wine.

The Small Parcels ‘Spitfire’ Sauvignon Blanc takes its name from a famous site in Marlborough that was used as an air force base during WWII, before being planted with vines that were destined for early vintages of this wine. In 2021, fruit was sourced from the Awarua Vineyard, one of Kim Crawford's newest vineyards, which was also the star of the Spitfire 2020 vintage. Just eight years ago this was rich dairy farming land at the mouth of the Wairau Valley. The soils are heavy silts that provide a large, healthy vine canopy, and the six-year-old vines are trained to Vertical Shoot Position (VSP).

Upon arrival at the winery, the fruit was destemmed and crushed and the free-run juice was drained for about three hours before the skins were pressed. Fermentation was long, slow and cool, with a yeast selected to express the grapes' grapefruit and passion fruit characteristics. Only the best parcels were selected for the Spitfire blend, following a rigorous tasting selection. The wine was bottled early to retain its freshness and purity of fruit.