This past December I ran the story on how Waipapa Bay Wines Pledges Support for Whale and Dolphin Conservation With 2019 Vintage Launch. Since that time the winery sent me three bottles to review, all 90+ point wines in my book, and here are my tasting notes in the order I tasted through them:
2019 Pinot Gris
Waipapa Bay, Marlborough, New Zealand
Pale yellow color and clear. Aromas of pears in light syrup, cling peaches, honey and golden raisins. On the mouth I got notes of fruit cocktail – citrus and tropical fruits, a round mouthfeel, minerality and a mild acidity that contributed to a long pleasant finish.
2019 Sauvignon Blanc
Waipapa Bay, Marlborough, New Zealand
The palest in color of the three, like clean, clear stream water. The nose brought up memories of Meyer lemon, mowed grass, white peach, wet river stones and stainless steel. The taste was richly layered, again with a nice mouthfeel, with flavors of citrus fruit, lemon-lime hard candy, grass and low acidity. A nice easy sipper.
2019 Chardonnay
Waipapa Bay, Marlborough, New Zealand
That pale yellow color again, clear, clean and a little sparkly. Loved the scents of sweet butter, popcorn kernel, kiwi and toasted oak; followed by flavors of lemonade, butter, oak, with a rich taste and a mild acidity that leant itself to a medium to long finish.
Waipapa Bay Wines are products of the evolution in viticulture and winemaking taking place in New Zealand, particularly in the premium grape growing region of Marlborough. We strive to produce wines with elegance and a sense of place from grapes farmed with the utmost attention and care. The close proximity to the Pacific Ocean provides ideal climatic conditions for the vines to thrive and gives a signature character that carries through each of the four varietal wines.
The name Waipapa Bay comes from the laid-back surf spot on the Pacific Ocean, a place of stunning, natural beauty. It is located halfway between the Canterbury home of Brent and Shirley Rawstron – native New Zealanders who oversee the vineyards and winemaking – and their vineyards in Rapaura. The couple always stop at this coastal town to see the seals or whales, which are regularly spotted off the coast; it evokes what the Rawstons hope their wines do: joy and appreciation for nature.
TERROIR
The wine region of Marlborough, where the majority of the vineyards are located, hosts a special combination of climatic features that create the ideal site for bright, ripe, balanced fruit: plentiful sunshine, long, warm summer days, and cool nights that keep refreshing acidity in the grapes. The conditions particularly suit Sauvignon Blanc, providing intense aromas and fresh acidity to balance the fruit flavors. Soils vary considerably in the region, allowing subtle differences between and even within vineyards to give elegance and nuances of flavor, which the Rawstrons look to isolate in each of the wines.
WINES
The vineyards are divided into blocks according to soil and aspect, and are harvested and vinified separately. Once fermentation is completed the different tanks are then assessed and carefully blended to create the four Waipapa Bay wines.
Each of our wines offers consistency and authenticity through dedicated viticulture and winemaking that is closely monitored by Brent and Shirley Rawstron and their local team, resulting in fresh and balanced wines that are delicious on their own and serve as exceptional accompaniments to food.
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.
The name Waipapa Bay comes from a renowned whale-watching coastal site on the South Island of New Zealand where Brent and Shirley Rawstron—who oversee viticulture and winemaking—often visit when traveling to the vineyards in Marlborough. Furthermore, the close proximity to the Pacific Ocean provides ideal climatic conditions for the vines to thrive; protecting the ocean and its delicate underwater ecosystems is paramount to producing high quality grapes in the region.
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Additional recognitions include Finalist, Great Value (awarded to entries with a high price/value ratio – showing that great wines don’t need to be expensive); and the Tried & True Award™, bestowed on brands that have demonstrated unfailing, consistent quality, year after year.
This marks the seventh year that the Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure has showcased the wines of some of California’s best small production winemakers in one of California’s most charming small towns, which is celebrating its 107th anniversary this year. Solvang is in the heart of the renowned Santa Ynez Valley wine country, just north of picturesque Santa Barbara, California.
Executive Chef Ignacio Munoz and Pastry Chef Kristina Waggoner “are teaming up to create a decadent menu” for the event slated for September 21 at 6:30 p.m. Reservations are $110 per person, plus tax and gratuity, and there is a limited number of seats. (A few have been reserved, namely mine and some early bird pals!)
