$29.99 6+ bottles (code: 6saves2)
96 points Wine Advocate
Drink Date: 2025 - 2034
The 2024 Otira Glacial Stones Sauvignon Blanc is just such a fantastic wine. I love it every year. Mineral tension, poise and elongated shape are the hallmarks of this wine. The wine has a smell of fresh sheets, crisp, crushed shells, white spice and ocean air. I appreciate the length and stretch of this wine—it fully extends and lingers, and there is a textural pulsing and undulation. It is truly excellent. 2024 was a warm vintage and produced wines of amplitude and volume, yet here the terroir has compressed the fruit into its own shape. So, with the coupling of the season and the terroir, we have this. It's a triumph among triumphs. The numbers of this wine are mad/impressive to behold: very low pH (2.97), a good level of total acidity (6.5) and 14% alcohol. Years of high-density planting and organic management (since 2010, certified 2013) in this place has enabled a wine of balance to achieve these numbers. Sealed under Diam. Published: Jun 05, 2025 - Reviewed by: Erin Larkin
Our Tasting Note
Lemon yellow, bright and shimmering. The cool nose delivers a med+, persistent, and complex bouquet of mixed citrus fruits and zests, elderflower, saline and crushed seashells. The medium body floats over the palate with mouthwatering med+ acidity that is perfectly integrated. The palate is elegant and dense, showing the bouquet's complexity, but with filigree. The long, cool, pulsating finish completes the experience. Outstanding, best ever SB for me from NZ. Miles away from typical NZ, this reminds me of the great Tement Sauvignon Blancs from Austria.
Named after the ancient glaciation period that formed this exceptional terroir, Otira is the purest expression of the stony soils found on the terraces of our estate. Formed 75,000 years ago, these free-draining soils result in wines with elegant minerality and excellent structure.
Technicals:
Terroir: 100% Sauvignon Blanc sourced from their Otiran Glacial Stones parcel. This 75,000-year-old soil comprises Greywacke Stones that were deposited as the glacier retreated south towards the West Coast.
Sub Region: Wairau Valley
Organic Farming: Their vineyards are planted in high density (4,000 plants/ha) encouraging competition between vines and restrains vigour; ensuring grapes divert their energy into the grapes (rather than the canopy) – resulting in concentrated berries. Dry farming and organic management practices also allow us to ensure natural vine balance is achieved by stressing the vines just to the right level. This forces the roots to go deeper in the soil, obtaining the purest expression of our terroir.
Winemaking: Gentle pressing straight to tank allows them to retain the aromatic freshness of the wine. The use of press fractions to separate free run from the hard pressings preserves the elegance and finesse of the wine. Fermentation occurs in 85% stainless steel; while the remaining 15% is wild fermented in neutral French oak barrels and Austrian demi-muids (600L). The wine is aged on fine yeast lees for up to 9 months with lees stirring. The wines age in tank prior to bottling and are released in the Autumn following their harvest.
