Unsung Heroes: Dog Point Vineyard, on tasting today

31 Jan 2020

Kiwi Sauvignon, but not as you know it...

At Uncorked we've been long time followers of Ivan Sutherland and James Healy, the duo behind the super famous and ever popular Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc. In 2002, however, the pair decided to head off in a new direction and set up Dog Point Vineyard, passing the Cloudy Bay project into the gigantic hands of LVMH... Between them James and Ivan have decades of experience in viticulture and wine making, and they still provide some of the fruit that goes into Cloudy Bay. Ivan's son Matt has also come on board the Dog Point ship as sales and marketing manager, bringing with him bags of experience in the vineyard and his laid-back yet ebullient attitude. With Dog Point the team remains unshackled from corporate pressures and free to focus on making high quality, low yield wines that can stand the test of time.

Fastidious in their eco practices at every stage of the growing and wine making processes, Dog Point are certified organic and operate under the Biogro programme - a New Zealand initiative designed to promote sustainability and environmental responsibility in agriculture. The team plant cover crops of buckwheat and phacelia that act as a natural pest deterrent. The grapes are hand-picked and a relatively low intervention approach is taken in the winery. The result is a range of exceptional quality wines that are distinctive, fresh and energetic in their youth and which will age gracefully for years to come.

The wines undergo natural, native yeast fermentations and, barring the Sauvignon which is raised in stainless steel, are aged in mostly older French oak barrels and left on the lees for 18 months. They are unfined and undergo only minimal filtration - no animal finings or egg whites here, so the vegans among you can enjoy a glass or two guilt-free! While the Sauvignon Blanc is nettly and full of fruit, the Section 94 Sauvignon - a single vineyard bottling from the Hawkesbury Run - is slightly reductive and richly textured, unlike the typically opulent and tropical Marlborough style. The entire Dog Point range is impressive, with a Pinot Noir that is perfumed and lifted, full of dense red fruit and subtle spice. The Chardonnay is a personal favourite; a great rival for many a white Burgundy with its flinty character and core of intense citrus, rounded out with a rich nuttiness and creamy toast.

For today's Free Friday tasting we'll be showcasing the range of Dog Point wines, so join us any time up until 6.30pm to try them for yourselves! /RRS

Offered subject to confirmation; available now online and in the shop