Smith & Sheth CRU Heretaunga Albariño 2023

Smith & Sheth brand is a fine wine project started by Steve Smith MW and Texas investor Brian Sheth in 2015. Under the brand, wines are finely crafted from Hawke’s Bay and other New Zealand wine regions.

The Heretaunga Albariño is made from a combination of premium Albariño parcels from the Fratelli Vineyard in Bridge Pa and the Two Terraces vineyard in Mangatahi. High quality Galicia-sourced clone, along with Plansel 635 from Portugal.

The higher elevation of the Mangatahi vineyard and its dramatic diurnal shifts allowed for the parcel from this vineyard to retain a distinct acidic seam.  Crop levels are kept low to keep the vines in balance. And irrigation is minimised to allow natural terroir to show
through. Both vineyards are managed to SWNZ standards with a nil residue spray programme.

100% hand-harvested and whole-bunch pressed to tank (58%) and barrel (42%), predominantly old French oak barriques with 17% being indigenous and 33% malolactic fermentation. 9 months in barrel on lees before being blended to tank in December 2023 followed by an additional month on full lees.

Straw coloured with refreshing lime citrus peel, ripe peach, and mandarin characters. Flavours of honeysuckle and stonefruit mingle with a subtle saltiness that provides a savoury taste to the wine. Rich and full bodied yet fresh with mouthwatering crisp salivating acidity giving great balance, length and structure.