Seifried Estate Aotea Sauvignon Blanc, Nelson

Description

Seifried Estate Aotea Sauvignon Blanc is a 100% Sauvignon Blanc from the New Zealand wine-growing region of Nelson.

The Aotea wine range, labelled as Aotea by The Seifried Family represents the “best of the best” of the wines that the family produce. The fruit is harvested from single vineyard Estate grown vines. The wines offer texture while maintaining the varietal character of the grape and wines with depth and finesse.

Established in 1973, Seifried Estate is a family-owned winery nestled in the heart of New Zealand’s sunshine capital, Nelson. Austrian-born Hermann Seifried and his wife, New Zealand born,  Agnes planted the seeds of their legacy in the Moutere Valley between Nelson and Motueka, pioneering the region’s fine wine production. The first 2 hectares of vines planted included 14 different Vinifera varieties which were all grafted on to phylloxera-resistant rootstock. This meticulous approach ensured long-term success and disease resistance. 1976 was the first harvest, with five distinctive varietal wines being made and at that time wine sales were entirely mail order and through cellar door.

Today, Seifried Estate owns over 320 hectares of established, sustainably accredited  vineyards across ten locations. Their dedicated team has grown to include 35 permanent winery and vineyard staff, alongside a further 10 personnel managing domestic sales and marketing.  This commitment to growth ensures Seifried’s legacy continues to flourish. All three of Hermann and Agnes’ children now work in the family business.

The wine-producing region of Nelson, at the top of New Zealand’s South Island, offers pristine conditions and, along with specially selected north facing vineyard sites, offer a range of soils from free draining gravels to heavy alluvial clays and a climate tailor-made for growing richly varietal, elegant wines. Still, frosty winters, long dry summers, cool autumn nights combined with the highest sunshine hours in New Zealand.

The fruit for the Seifried Estate Aotea Sauvignon Blanc comes from the family’s Brightwater and Rabbit Island Vineyards. The Brightwater Vineyard is located some 15km inland (10km from our winery) near the Richmond Ranges on the southern end of the Waimea Plains. The vineyard has stony and well-draining soils, hard on farming equipment but essential for retaining the warmth of the Nelson sun and ripening the grapes. The grapes harvested from this vineyard exhibit lively fruit flavours. The Rabbit Island Vineyards are located on a spacious river flat. The soil is gravelly sandy loam, which is sandy and drains well. These vineyards are situated about 1.5 kilometers from the sea, which helps moderate the temperatures.

In the vineyard, Seifried undertakes careful canopy management to ensure the 100% Sauvignon Blanc produces classic aromatic and fresh flavours. The fruit is de-stemmed and pressed immediately after harvest and a cool fermentation was initiated in stainless steel tanks to retain the wine’s clean, fresh aromatic fruit character.

The name Aotea is derived from “Aotearoa”, the Maori name for New Zealand meaning “Land of the Long Cloud.”