Metis
Metis is a joint venture between Sancerre's Pascal Jolivet and Trinity Hill's John Hancock to produce a 100% Sauvignon Blanc which combines the best Hawkes Bay fruit with French savoir faire. Pascal Jolivet was intrigued by the potential of Sauvignon Blanc in Hawkes Bay, which has a great diversity of soil types and local climates and instigated the project with Trinity Hill. The fruit is sourced from Porangahau and Mangatahi, which are cooler areas within the Hawkes Bay region and quality is optimised through a great deal of work and attention to detail in the vineyard. Harvest takes place over an extended period to enhance the flavour spectrum and complexity in the final blend. In the winery the wine is fermented and matured in stainless steel, however techniques including the use of partially clarified must, natural yeasts and maturation on lees help to produce an innovative wine with a very evident Loire personality. The limey fruit is complex, but not overt, giving hints of nectarine, gooseberry and passionfruit with a distinct mineral streak and the palate has lovely textural weight and a long finish with crisp, yet seamless acidity. This wine represents a paradigm shift in what New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is all about.
Currently available:
2009 Metis Sauvignon Blanc
"...likewise, there's plenty of attractive qualities to be found in Metis...it's a restrained but impressive beauty, with herb-flecked characters, crisp and crunchy citrus fruits, rhubarb, elderflower and minerals." 50 great wines for Christmas, Decanter, Jan 2011
