Church Road Grand Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

Formerly known as Church Road’s Reserve range they’ve given the wines a slick, stealth like black label and slapped the word “Grand” in the name.

So that’s the marketing job done, what about the wine? Are they actually Grand? Are they what! These are sheer world class wines, up there with the best you’ll find in Hawke’s Bay. That’s why you’ll only find Church Road wines under this label released in great vintages from low-cropping vineyard blocks (to ensure more concentrated, ripe flavours), hand-harvested and produced using small batch, traditional techniques.

Master of Wine Bob Campbell called this one “One of the better Hawke’s Bay barrel-fermented sauvignon blancs that I have tasted” and he ain’t wrong with a swag of top awards for this vintage…

93/100 (Bob Campbell MW) 
“One of the better Hawke’s Bay barrel-fermented sauvignon blancs that I have tasted. Subtle nectarine and tree fruit flavours mingle with a distinct oyster-shell and mineral character with subliminal oak. A good food wine. Bone-dry with a mouth-watering finish. Will repay cellaring (2028)”

5 Stars (Michael Cooper)
“Full of personality, the 2019 vintage (5*) of this oak-aged wine is already delicious. Estate-grown mostly in the Redstone Vineyard, in the Bridge Pa Triangle, with some fruit from Matapiro, it was hand-harvested and fermented with indigenous yeasts in French oak barrels (20 per cent new). Bright, light yellow/green, it is mouthfilling, with concentrated, ripe tropical-fruit flavours, fresh and vigorous, slightly toasty notes, balanced acidity, and excellent depth and complexity. Best drinking 2022+.”

5 Stars (Cuisine magazine 2022)
“Defying every belief that sauvignon doesn’t age well, this 2019 barrel fermented example is fresh and lively. “

Gold medal (Royal Easter Wine Show 2021)
Gold medal (Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards 2020)

If you’re looking to pair this world class, oak aged Sauvy with a feed well follow the advice of the judges at Decanter who said “An intuitive use of oak complements the ripeness of fruits, brooding well with complexity depth and crying out for fish and chips.”