{"product_id":"gruner-veltliner-blank-canvas-marlborough-new-zealand","title":"Gruner Veltliner - Blank Canvas - Marlborough - New Zealand","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003ePRODUCER\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eBlank Canvas is the vinous studio of award-winning international\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003ewinemaking consultant Matt Thomson and Master of Wine Sophie\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eParker-Thomson. With over 40 years of collective experience in the\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eglobal wine industry, Matt and Sophie produce small batch fine\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003ewines from exceptional single vineyard sites throughout New\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eZealand under their art-meets-science project, Blank Canvas. Matt\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003ehas worked over fifty vintages in numerous wine regions around\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003ethe world and has worked with David Gleave since 1994. He is\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003einvolved with many of the wines in our portfolio, primarily as a\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003econsultant. Sophie has been travelling to Europe and working with\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eMatt since 2011, leaving her career in law behind her. It is this\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003einternational experience that is the founding inspiration for this\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003ehusband-and-wife team. All vineyards are certified sustainable\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eand all the growers live on their vineyards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eVINEYARDS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eIn a slight twist to the usual Blank Canvas philosophy, the 2023\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003evintage was sourced from two single vineyards, from the Central\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eWairau and the Brancott subregions. Both vineyards are located\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eon the alluvial loams and gravels of the Central Wairau and enjoy\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003ethe slightly warmer inland heat during the day, sheltered from\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eexposure to the coastal easterly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eVINTAGE\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eIt was a nervous start to the 2023 growing season, with variable\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003econditions at flowering in December leading to lower yields and\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eloose bunches. This proved to be a critical factor in the success of\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e2023, as the La Nina conditions meant evenly spread rains\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003ethroughout late summer and early autumn did not cause disease\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eissues. Cold nights held botrytis at bay and ensured naturally high\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eacidity in the fruit. An exceptional weather run through March\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eand April was the final positive, and the region was rewarded with\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eintense flavours and ripeness levels across the district.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eVINIFICATION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe fruit was hand-picked on 5th and 13th April. At the winery, the\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003efruit was de-stemmed, crushed and gently pressed. The wine was\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003erun into large French oak puncheons (20% new) with the balance\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eto a single stainless steel tank for fermentation. A select yeast\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003estrain was used, fermentation was completed in 12 days and the\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003ewine then underwent elevage on lees, with no battonage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eMalolactic fermentation was avoided. The wine was bottled on\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e30th January 2024.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eTASTING NOTES\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe wine has brilliant orange citrus and white pepper aromatics\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003ewhile on the palate there is full-bodied richness, texture and\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003ecomplexity.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Blank Canvas","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57878259925366,"sku":null,"price":25.8,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2687\/4248\/files\/BlankCanvasMcKeeGrunerVeltliner2023__250x500_e55396e1-95af-4913-b837-d4a8b56ab27d.jpg?v=1778928356","url":"https:\/\/somersetwinecompany.com\/products\/gruner-veltliner-blank-canvas-marlborough-new-zealand","provider":"The Somerset Wine Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}