Clos Henri Otira Sauvignon Blanc 2022
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James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Wilfred
Wong -
Wine
Enthusiast
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Named after the Otiran Glaciation period that formed their Glacial River Stones terroir, Clos Henri's Otira expresses a crisp minerality not unlike the glacier itself. Coupled with a sophisticated finesse that takes you on a journey of the senses, it's a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc like no other.
Serve with Fresh oysters, pan-fried snapper and asparagus.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is real sauvignon blanc with sliced lemons, dried mango and hints of white pineapple with some stone. It’s full and layered with a density and presence on the palate. Long and flavorful. Phenols hold it together. One of the best NZ sauvignons out there. From organically grown grapes.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Otira Glacial Stones Sauvignon Blanc leads with a nose rich in minerals and geology; it is inescapable. River stones, wet limestone and beach sand are found alongside green apple skins, yuzu, saltbush, preserved citrus and brine. This wine is sensational, truly. It is layered, both in terms of flavor and texture, long, satisfying and svelte. Ripping wine. I highly recommend this wine of pure class.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2022 Clos Henri Otira Sauvignon Blanc is intense, impressive, and lasting. TASTING NOTES: This wine excels with aromas and flavors of savory spices, rustic notes, and tropical fruits. Enjoy it with a tray of grilled shellfish. (Tasted: October 7, 2023, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Enthusiast
This French-owned biodynamic estate had a rebrand in 2023. Otira, grown on glacial river stones, is part of a new single vineyard range that shows a layer of complexity above your everyday Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Ripe lime and pink grapefruit mingle with yeasty apple flesh, peach, white florals, subtle dried herbs and a stony mineral note. Still young, there’s a big lift of tingly acidity on the palate. But it’s balanced by generous texture and flavor, the lime essence lingering long on the finish.
Other Vintages
2021-
James
Suckling
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
An icon and leading region of New Zealand's distinctive style of Sauvignon blanc, Marlborough has a unique terroir, making it ideal for high quality grape production (of many varieties). Despite some common generalizations, which could be fairly justified given that Marlborough is responsible for 90% of New Zealand's Sauvignon blanc production, the wines from this region are actually anything but homogenous. At the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island, the vineyards of Marlborough benefit from well-draining, stony soils, a dry, sunny climate and wide temperature fluctuations between day and night, a phenomenon that supports a perfect balance between berry ripeness and acidity.
The region’s king variety, Sauvignon blanc, is beloved for its pungent, aromatic character with notes of exotic tropical fruit, freshly cut grass and green bell pepper along with a refreshing streak of stony minerality. These wines are made in a wide range of styles, and winemakers take advantage of various clones, vineyard sites, fermentation styles, lees-stirring and aging regimens to differentiate their bottlings, one from one another.
Also produced successfully here are fruit-forward Pinot noirs (especially where soils are clay-rich), elegant Riesling, Pinot gris and Gewürztraminer.