Rimapere Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc
Country: New Zealand Region: Nelson
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2021 Colour: White Style: Dry Abv: 13%
Producer: Rimapere Estate
Awards
- 91 Points James Suckling
- Sommelier Wine Awards Silver Medal
- Vivino 4.0 from 4261 ratings
- Silver Medal Cathay International Hong King Wine Awards
The Rimapere Sauvignon Blanc is the result of a joint venture between Baron Edmond de Rothschild and Terry Peabody of Craggy Range. Rimapere is a very defined Sauvignon Blanc with tremendous concentration. It delivers pronounced aromatics of lemon peel, sage, ripe lemon, passion fruit, grapefruit, pine needles and steely minerality. The palate despite being vibrant and fresh, has a rich texture. There is wonderful purity and complexity and a long intense finish.
The Producer:
Born out of Benjamin de Rothschild's desire to create a leading Sauvignon Blanc, the Rimapere Estate was chosen for its exceptional terroir and climate. The estate is a partnership beween Baron Benjamin de Rothschild and Mr. Terry Peabody (Owner of Craggy Range Winery, NZ, one of the finest winerys in all of New Zealand). The name of the estate was a deliberate choice and means "Five Arrows" in Maori, which simultaneously honours the Rothschild Family's Coat of Arms and traditional New Zealand culture.
The Rimapere Estate is ideally located in the prestigious wine growing area of Rapaura, known as the 'Golden Triangle' where the alluvial soil comprises mainly pebbles and gravel. The vineyard spans 24 hectares with Sauvignon Blanc planted on twenty and Pinot Noir planted on the remainder. The vineyard is sustainably farmed, with an average age of around 15 years. This area’s cool climate is perfect for ripening high quality Sauvignon Blanc grapes and providing them with their typical lemon and grapefruit flavours, together with crisp acidity.
The family have remarkable history in the wine business, and this estate adds prestige to their already burgeoning empire which includes some of the finest Bordeaux Estates, Chateau Clarke and Chateau Rieussec, also Akarua in New Zealand and Champagne House Barons de Rothschild.
They purchased 24 hectares in one of the country’s most unique terroirs, the Wairau Valley, a place where a distinct terroir and mesoclimate yield fruit of incredible concentration and complexity. Wairau – referred to by the Māori as ‘the place with the hole in the cloud’, or ‘Kei puta te Wairau’ – has one of New Zealand’s highest average sunshine hours per year which, in tandem with the cool maritime climate, allows grapes to ripen over an extended growth season while developing an incredible array of aromas and flavours.
And thus, the Rimapere project was born. The word, meaning ‘five arrows’ in Māori, pays tribute both to the Rothschild family’s coat of arms (five arrows symbolising the five sons of dynasty founder Mayer Amschel Rothschild, out to conquer the world) and traditional New Zealand culture.
