Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc Section 94 2021

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Dog Point
Sauvignon Blanc Section 94 2021

Vintage : 2021
Country : New Zealand
Region : Marlborough
Subregion :
Type : White
Style : Medium Bodied Aromatic Dry
Format : 75cl
Alcohol : 14°
Grappes : 100% Sauvignon Blanc

The Dog Point Section 94 Sauvignon Blanc is a distinguished wine from Marlborough, New Zealand, renowned for its complex aromatic profile and rich, textural depth. It stands out as one of the finest expressions of Sauvignon Blanc globally, characterized by its balance, complexity, and impeccable craftsmanship.

Experts		Score	Vintage
JS	James Suckling	95	2021
WS	Wine Spectator	93	2021
WE	Wine Enthusiast	93	2020
W&S	Wines & Spirits	92	2020
DCT	Decanter	92	2017
RP	Robert Parker	89	2017

More information on wine critics and ratings

Tasting Note (PDF)

Description
Video
Reviews
From the same producer

Region and Vineyards

Dog Point Vineyard is located in Marlborough, New Zealand, a region celebrated for its premier Sauvignon Blancs. The estate features some of the oldest vines in Marlborough, with plantings dating back to the 1970s. The vineyard's soils consist primarily of free-draining silty clay loams, particularly on the flats of the valley, which enhance the intense citrus and grapefruit flavors in the wine.

Dog Point has been farming organically for over a decade and is now certified organic, emphasizing sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. This vintage benefited from a warm and very dry growing season, which, combined with meticulous vineyard management, resulted in perfectly ripened grapes.

Winemaking

The single vineyard parcel known as Section 94 was planted in 1992 and is managed for low yields, producing only 3.0 tons per acre. This low yield, combined with hand-picking (a rarity for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, with only 5% hand-harvested), ensures the highest quality fruit.

The grapes are whole-cluster pressed and settled in tanks for 24 hours before fermentation. The wine is aged in older French oak barrels for 18 months, adding to its complexity and textural richness. The use of wild yeasts for fermentation further enhances its unique character.

Tasting Notes

Color: Pale lemon with green hues.
Aroma: A complex and aromatic bouquet featuring beeswax, litsea oil, vetiver, and honeysuckle.
Palate: The palate reveals ripe peach, melon, and lemon curd flavors, complemented by hints of grilled lemon, smoke, and a touch of crushed rock minerality. The wine has a supple, seamless frame with a juicy core and gains momentum towards an epic finish.

Did you know?

Dog Point is named after the historical sheep runs in Marlborough where shepherds used dogs to manage their flocks. This historical connection adds a rustic charm to the brand's identity.

Wine Pairing Ideas

Grilled Lobster: The wine’s complex flavors and acidity pair beautifully with the rich, sweet flavors of grilled lobster.
Goat Cheese Salad: The fresh citrus and mineral notes complement the tangy and creamy profile of goat cheese.
Lemon Herb Chicken: The bright acidity and subtle oak influence enhance the flavors of lemon herb chicken, creating a harmonious pairing.
Vegetarian Dishes: Its vibrant acidity and aromatic profile make it an excellent match for vegetarian dishes, especially those with herbal and citrus components.

James Suckling (JS) : 95 Points (2021)

This is a beautiful and complex wine with sliced apples, lemons, bread dough and salted pie crust. Some grass. Always subtle and complex yet shows intensity. Medium body. Lovely acid balance and an excellent finish. White pepper. Dry. Always excellent.

Wine Spectator (WS) : 93 Points (2021)

Aromatic, complex, succulent and fleshy, offering flavors of beeswax, litsea oil and peach preserves, with candied ginger and honeysuckle accents. A whiff of smoke mingles with the crisp citrus and herbal notes at the lip-smacking core. Drink now through 2034.

Wine Enthusiast (WE) : 93 Points (2020)

From one of Marlborough’s most distinctive producers, this single site Sauvignon Blanc is aged and fermented in older French oak barrels in the Pouilly-Fumé style. The resulting wine is golden hued with opulent aromas of roasted nuts, grilled pineapple, lemon oil and gun smoke. The palate is equally rich but restrained, countered by mouthwatering acidity, with focus and flavor depth that lingers long on the finish. It’s a Sauvignon made like a Chardonnay, so it won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but this bottling, from a strong vintage, finds great balance and could cellar for several years.

Wines & Spirits (W&S) : 92 Points (2020)

From a block at the estate planted in 1992, this wine develops its leesy richness over the course of 18 months in neutral French oak barrels. It’s tense and tightly built around floral apricot and buttery white peach, a ripe, rich, ambitious wine that meets its goals, and warrants cellar time.

Decanter (DCT) : 92 Points (2017)

From a single parcel within Dog Point’s vineyards, located at the confluence of the Brancott and Omaka valleys, the vines planted in 1992 on free-draining, silty clay-loam alluvial soils. A warm spring and late summer were followed by cool but good conditions into the autumn, with harvest concluded rapidly to beat heavy rains in mid-April 2017. The wine was fermented and aged in used French oak barrels for 18 months, and bottled without fining. Toasty wood to the fore on the nose, but there’s key lime pie richness and herbal notes of marjoram and bay. Ripe lemon and lime citrus with lightly tropical passion fruit and pineapple, though the fruit is underscored by a distinctly earthy/mushroom creamy character enhancing complexity on mid-palate and finish, which has great length. Best with food such as meaty fish, tuna steak or chicken in a creamy mushroom sauce. (9/2019)

Robert Parker (RP) : 89 Points (2017)

Struck flint and hints of woodsmoke appear on the nose of the 2017 Section 94, a Sauvignon Blanc fermented in barrel with indigenous yeasts. This is a tight, compact vintage for this bottling, with tightly coiled grapefruit flavors partially concealed by notions of fresh greens and crushed stone. It's crisp and medium-bodied, with a citrusy finish. It's a solid effort, but compared to other recent Section 94s, it leaves me wanting more.

Dog Point
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Sourced from low-yielding old vines, it combines wild fermentation and extended lees aging for a pure, savoury expression.

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Dog Point
Pinot Noir 2021

The Dog Point Pinot Noir is a striking representation of Marlborough's viticultural prowess. This wine, known for its depth and complexity, embodies the meticulous craftsmanship and dedication of Dog Point Vineyard, one of New Zealand’s top wine producers.

49,00 €

Dog Point
Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Crafted from estate-grown fruit in the heart of Marlborough's Wairau Valley, Dog Point's 2024 Sauvignon Blanc expresses a crystalline purity of terroir — where silty loams and gravel seams yield a wine of vibrant precision and natural tension.

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