Wine in Focus: Sauvignon Blanc 2022

The Sauvignon Blanc Chronicles

Two words have been on everyone’s mind here at Woodchester Valley since January 12: Sauvignon Blanc. On that fateful day, Global Wine Masters announced that our Sauvignon Blanc had done the impossible: it became the First English Sauvignon Blanc to win top unoaked Sauvignon Blanc making it among the best in the world. We beat out over 100 wines from 13 different countries to take home the Masters Medal. To say this was a shock is an understatement. In 2013, we first acquired our Stonehouse site and in 2015, we planted those prized 2,000 vines of Sauvignon Blanc on the steepest slopes. It was not long ago that the world wine industry had been sceptical of English wines, and at English still wines in particular. Well, clearly Fiona and Jeremy proved them wrong on January 12, 2023.

So now the question remains: what will the 2022 Sauvignon Blanc taste like? Well, let me tell you from personal experience, it will not disappoint. The 2022 season offered us a heat wave and a drought to say the least; but, with that heat, it also allowed our grapes to reach their full ripeness and potential. On my drive into work each day of that heat wave, the valley was full of yellow, starved straw-like grass and heat radiated off the quenched earth. At Woodchester Valley Vineyard, however, our vines were green and flourishing. The vines soaked up the sun, and also the intense flavours of Sauvignon Blanc that we so adore.

As a result, this year’s Sauvignon Blanc offers us a much more diverse palate of aromas and flavours. On initial glance, there is a perfect pale lemon colour and a noticeable elegance on the nose. There are vibrant notes of fresh cut grass and delicate elderflower, followed by a subtle minerality. There are also bright aromas of fresh lemons and pink grapefruit. On the palate, this is an expressive Sauvignon Blanc with notes of gooseberry, citrus, and supple stone fruits. In contrast to our 2021 vintage, this vintage offers us a more rounded, structured, and riper style of Sauvignon Blanc. It also presents us with a fuller-bodied expression, complementary longer finish, and makes for a better food-pairing wine. This 2022 Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect accompaniment to dining al fresco on a sun-drenched terrace as you enjoy a rich asparagus risotto, a luxe fish pie, or some creamy stilton as the sun sets on your perfect Cotswold summer’s eve.

English Wine Week Collection

Premium Collection

Sauvignon Trio