15-Aug-2016
The lower-alcohol category has received much attention as marketplace research indicates it as a high growth one. The New Zealand wine industry has committed considerable funds to the development of successful lower-alcohol wines. Sauvignon Blanc is the preferred variety, due to it being the most widely planted, and for its exuberant fruit flavours. The more common approach to making the wines is to pick from flavour-precocious sites and balance the acidity with residual sugar. Spy Valley launched their entry in the category, the ‘Easy Tiger’ with the 2014 vintage. Winemaker Paul Bourgeois approached the style somewhat differently with the use of barrel fermentation and MLF to obtain softer textures to balance the acidity. Here, I review the 2016 release, made similarly. www.spyvalleywine.co.nz
