20yr old Marlborough Sauv: Jackson’s Sauvignon Blanc 1991

Jackson’s Sauvignon Blanc 1991 (Marlborough, NZ)
?%, Cork
Source: Capricious host
www.jacksonestate.co.nz

Old man Jackson himself. What a great beard

The capricious host in question was Stuart Knox, he of Fix St James, whom likes nothing more than pulling out the wackiest, most confronting (and most interesting) wines just to stump us (options games are useless at Fix as you’ll usually get it wrong, much to Stu’s entertainment 🙂 ).

In the case of this oddity it was presented blind, as usual, after the final session of this years Summer of Riesling tasting (so it effectively followed about 40 young dry whites, just for contrast). What was most heartening though was that it was still recognisable as a Sauvignon Blanc, albeit in a slightly advanced form, and still carrying a nose that retained some trademark herbal Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc-ness even after 20 years in a (cork sealed) bottle.

Going by that nose, we actually had it pegged as a five year old, oak aged Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc – such was the surprising freshness (though a subjective, caramel freshness).  The palate wasn’t really that fresh in comparison, with more than a fleck of cardboard and some rather blocky acidity rising up through the finish. But still, it wasn’t terrible, with enough flavour to hold everything together, so when coupled with that creme-caramel-meets-asparagus nose, the end result was nothing if not intriguing (and at least mildly drinkable).

In the end it was just a really quite interesting wine. A Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc affirming wine even (from one of the original Marlborough producers), that reminds that the region and variety can be good (it can be) with the savalanche of overtly sweet and thin wines that now line our bottleshop shelves not truly representative of what can be achieved.

I’ve had 2 year old bottle of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc that have tasted worse than this, let alone a 20 year old. Win. U/R (it’s a curio, ratings seem irrelevant).