# Otira Sauvignon Blanc (2024)

- **Producer:** Clos Henri
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Sauvignon Blanc
- **Region:** Marlborough, New Zealand
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.5%
- **Average price:** €29
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** lemon, grapefruit, lime, peach, gooseberry, herbaceous, grass, butter, cream, toast

## About this wine

Clos Henri was established in 2000 by the Famille Bourgeois, a renowned ten-generation winemaking family from Sancerre, France. Seeking to merge Old World elegance with New World terroir, they acquired land in Marlborough's Wairau Valley. The 'Otira' cuvée is named after the ancient Otiran Glaciation period, which shaped the unique stony terraces of the estate. This organic and biodynamic estate focuses on high-density planting to naturally limit yields and produce highly concentrated, terroir-driven wines.

## Interesting facts

- Founded by the Famille Bourgeois, a famous ten-generation winemaking family from Sancerre, France.
- Named after the Otiran Glaciation, which deposited the unique stony soils of the vineyard 75,000 years ago.
- The 2024 vintage experienced the lowest rainfall in 93 years, resulting in exceptionally concentrated fruit.

## Food pairing

The wine's high, racy acidity and distinct mineral salinity make it a perfect match for fresh seafood and shellfish, cutting through rich textures. The subtle texture from lees aging also allows it to pair beautifully with creamy goat's cheese, balancing the tanginess without being overwhelmed.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for the Otira Sauvignon Blanc combines traditional and modern techniques. After a gentle pressing to separate the free-run juice, 85% of the wine is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks to preserve fresh fruit aromatics. The remaining 15% undergoes wild fermentation in neutral French oak barrels and 600-liter Austrian demi-muids, adding texture and complexity. The wine is then aged on its fine yeast lees for up to nine months with regular stirring (bâtonnage) before final blending and bottling.