{"product_id":"walnut-block-sauvignon-blanc-2025","title":"Walnut Block Sauvignon Blanc 2025","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Land\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Wairau Valley is Marlborough's original Sauvignon Blanc ground, an ancient dry riverbed whose alluvial sand and clay soils drain fast and force vines to work for water. Walnut Block farms 17 hectares here on the valley plains, land chosen specifically for the intensity it gives Sauvignon Blanc's aromatics. The 2024-25 growing season followed the driest nine-month stretch Marlborough had seen in 94 years, then cooled off in autumn, stretching the harvest and rewarding growers who could wait for full ripeness.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Wine\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e100% Sauvignon Blanc from vines averaging 23 years old, trained on cane VSP trellises with light leaf removal for sun exposure and airflow. Grapes were picked at night to preserve freshness, then destemmed, pressed, and fermented slowly in stainless steel at cool temperatures with no skin contact. Extended contact with the lees after fermentation adds weight to the texture before three months of tank aging. The result is vibrant and aromatic, tropical fruit layered over passionfruit and citrus, with clean, integrated acidity carrying through a long finish. 13% alcohol.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe People\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrothers Clyde and Nigel Sowman founded Walnut Block in 2005, combining backgrounds in viticulture and the wine trade to build a small, family-run estate on the Wairau Valley plains. Their name comes from the region's oldest walnut tree, which still stands among the vines and dates to the same era as the 1898 New Zealand postage stamp their Collectables label is designed after. The estate is farmed sustainably with labor-intensive, hands-on vineyard methods, on the belief that consistent, high-quality fruit is built in the vineyard long before it reaches the winery.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFood Pairing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis Sauvignon Blanc's brightness and tropical fruit make it a natural with grilled shrimp tacos, a goat cheese salad with citrus vinaigrette, seared scallops, or fresh oysters with mignonette.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Maverick Wine Company","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50495100584159,"sku":null,"price":19.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0439\/7436\/1248\/files\/P6280552.jpg?v=1782921379","url":"https:\/\/denverwinemerchant.com\/products\/walnut-block-sauvignon-blanc-2025","provider":"Denver Wine Merchant","version":"1.0","type":"link"}