By Deborah Jackson, editor National Liquor News
New Zealand wine brand Stoneleigh, renowned for its Marlborough wines, is releasing its first range of wild fermented wines, Stoneleigh Wild Valley, for the Australian market.
Stoneleigh Wild Valley will launch on 2 September with a 2015 Sauvignon Blanc and a 2014 Pinot Noir, and will represent minimal intervention winemaking with the wines fermenting via yeasts naturally occuring in Stoneleigh's sunstone vineyards.
Jamie Marfell, Stoneleigh winemaker, said while the winemaking intervention for this new range is minimal, the care and dedication that goes into every bottle is unchanged.
"Due to the unpredictable nature of wild fermentation, we've had to keep a watchful eye on the process. However, the results speak for themselves, with exciting wines possessing rich, textural palettes, bringing through the indiginous flavours of the Stoneleigh vineyard that we know wine lavers will enjoy."
Stoneleigh Wild Valley Sauvignon Blanc shows great generosity, with lifted grapefruit and nectarine aromas and citrus and passionfruit flavours.
Stoneleigh Wild Valley Pinot Noir is a vibrant wine with flavours of wild berries, strawberries, raspberries and dark cherries and a subtle, toasty savouriness.
The Stoneleigh Wild Valley wines will be available from leading retailers fron 2 September with an RRP of $21.99.