Saorsa 2021 Viognier Hawke's Bay
A profoundly rich wine that is all about texture. Peach, apricot and crème brûlée with subtle jasmine and reed notes. Rich and oily texture with luscious stonefruit and a toasted baking spice finish.
Located in the heart of Gimblett Road in Hawke’s Bay. This vineyard is wildly stony. Soils laid down by the Ngaruroro river, natural bands of silt are streaked through the harsh gravels. The Cornerstone Vineyard is something special. The Viognier is the only white grape in the vineyard. The stones reflect a vast amount of light while providing a hostile growing environment and retaining a small amount of heat when the temperature drops at night over the vast plains.
”2021 was a stunner! After two exceptional harvests in the years prior, we could not of foreseen one of this absolute quality. Again Hawke’s Bay saw a warm and dry winter season continuing the drought conditions from the end of 2020 this led to an extremely early bud burst in the vineyards. The growing season was also warm and dry leading to one of the earliest starts to harvest we have ever seen. The summer and Autumn period were long and dry, allowing us to pick when we wanted with no pressure from rain. 2021 saw perfect conditions across all varieties from early too late, with acidity being the best seen in years.”
Saorsa is a term for a radical sense of freedom and liberty and represents Saorsa Wines perfectly. This micro-boutique producer makes very small batches of Viognier and Syrah in Hawke’s Bay. Family owned and operated, Alex and Hana are the power couple behind it all, working full time jobs and raising two kids alongside building their wine legacy. With a serious cult following behind them, you need to be quick, as their new releases sell out fast.
Saorsa’s wines are produced in the most traditional of ways. All of their fruit is hand picked, the juice and wines are handled oxidatively without causing oxidation and faults, inert gases are not used in any part of production, and all transfers are made by gravity where possible. Their wines are then aged in neutral oak to allow natural development while letting the wines show what they really are, not what they can be made to do. To Saorsa, wines are all about texture, all fermentations are wild, and ageing is gauged on the individual wine and not rushed. Their wines are bottled unrefined always, and unfiltered where possible with the only addition being sulphur for bottling.
Saorsa Wines are aiming to extend their range in the future as they find plots that are fitting. The goal is to work towards getting organic or biodynamic sites to further push individuality in the wines.
All of their wines are small production and unapologetic. A strong, unique and enticing producer you need not miss.
First Vintage: 2015
Scale: 300 Cases
Range: Syrah, Viognier, Rose and Appassimento
Restaurant/Food: You can find Saorsa at all of the coolest wine bars around NZ
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