The 2009 Clifford Bay Sauvignon Blanc has a crisp, slightly greener nose than the Wairau Valley, with aromas of Granny Smith apple, gooseberry, cat's pee and nettle. The palate is well balanced with good acidity, not quite the same complexity as the Wairau Valley, but it has an agreeable, peppery kick on the finish. Drink now-2013. The clement weather during the 2009 vintage meant that Villa Maria's winemaking team faced a 20% above average crop. Bearing in mind the pitfalls of over-production in 2008, strict yield controls were imposed on each winery, with many lopping off a whole cane. Villa Maria continues to produce a strong diverse portfolio that embraces entry-level varietals to limited bottlings of single vineyards. As mentioned in previous reports their Pinot Noirs remain their Achilles heel in an otherwise impressive, diverse range. In particular, I feel that their Syrah are really coming into their own. I have included wines from Vidal and Esk Valley that are under the same umbrella, but treated separately. Importer: Ste Michelle Wine Estates, Woodinville, WA; tel. (800) 267-6793

這款酒口感清爽而活潑，一股藥草的氣息環(huán)繞著迷人而開放的梨子和青蘋果風(fēng)味，這些味道融合在輕靈的余味中，十分美妙。適飲期：現(xiàn)在。