Wine: Kim Crawford Small Parcels Spitfire Sauvignon Blanc

Country: New Zealand

Region: Marlborough

Designation: Marlborough

Brand/Producer: Kim Crawford

Grape Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc

ABV: 12.5%

Type: White

Code: 2089

Tasting Note

Amazingly powerful aromas which show distinctive Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc traits of zesty citrus and crushed herbs. The palate is rich with lemon, passionfruit, melon and sweet tropical fruits. Mineral notes balance the fruit with faint flint notes in a long lingering finish.

Producer

Kim Crawford was launched in 1996 in a small home in Auckland, New Zealand. With incredible speed, Kim Crawford’s powerful, aromatic wines began winning awards and gained a devoted, even fanatical, following.

Only two years after launch, Kim Crawford Wines began exporting to the United States. Within four years, the company moved into a state-of-the-art winery in Marlborough and began looking at vineyards to purchase and cultivate.

Just six years after these humble beginnings, Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc made the 2003 Wine Spectator's Top 100 List to roaring acclaim

Winemaking

The vineyards of Kim Crawford are located in outstanding, predominantly coastal sites. The grapes benefit from long days, clean sea breezes and crisp nights. In combination with New Zealand’s long and dry autumn season, the grapes ripen slowly, which allows them to build flavour intensity as well as develop a sophisticated acidity. Named after a former WWII air force base where the grapes are grown, this is a real ‘Spitfire’ of a wine. Selected from the two finest small blocks of Raparua’s Murphy vineyard, this is a rich, full Sauvignon Blanc.

Fun Fact

The Crawford couple founded their wine business in 1996 with a business model which was innovative at the time – virtual winemaking. They bought grapes from farmers (after assessing their viticulture techniques) and hired vinification space from wineries. They also spent a lot of time marketing their wines in North America. Over the years wineries have been built and vineyards purchased but they were considered ahead of their time in the winemaking world when they started out. And here’s another piece of trivia… customers often assume that Mrs Crawford is Kim, well she’s Erica and Mr Crawford is Kim.

Food pairing

Any kind of light seafood and fish dishes, especially oysters work well. Summer salads and perfect for sipping at sunset.

Awards & Accolades

Vivino 3.6

93 points Decanter

“The fresh, crunchy, unashamedly summery flavours of Sauvignon Blanc were always going to feature prominently in this listing. This is a precise yet energetic Marlborough Sauvignon, tangy in style but with complex lime, nettle, curry leaf, gooseberry and anis notes. It's dry, linear and very long - a serious and food-friendly style ideal for summer salads or goat's cheese.”