Sauvignon Blanc [White Label], Donnhoff 2023

• Variety: Sauvignon Blanc • Region: Nahe • Vineyard: Multiple sites in Bad Kreuznach • Soil Type: Loam and limestone • Fermentation & Élevage: White Label: Fermentation and aging in stainless steel\n\nIn early 2020, just after harvest, Cornelius hired a young Kiwi named Mack to join him at the winery. Mack came highly recommended after a few vintages at other wineries, including Alzinger in the Wachau. The pandemic hit and Mack was forced to stay in Oberhäusen and became very close with Cornelius. Mack decided to stay at the winery and was promoted to cellar master at this exceptional estate. Oberhäusen is a very quiet village of only 365 people, so entertainment is a little thin. Cornelius has a bit of Sauvignon Blanc planted, which he normally sells to another grower. In 2021 Mack, familiar with making wine from New Zealand’s most planted grape variety, asked Cornelius if he could make a wine. Cornelius suggested a contest; they should each make a small lot of wine in two different styles and see which wine was better. Being a Kiwi, Mack talks a fair amount of trash and took the challenge. Cornelius’ wine was produced in the new world style – sedimentation after pressing, fermented in stainless steel; the wine is crisp, fruit driven and very transparent. Mack produced a version without sedimentation, pressing direct into a 500-liter neutral oak barrel. After a long fermentation, the wine was left on the full lees until bottling in the summer of 2022. The New World wine, produced by Cornelius is called Marama (meaning light) and is the white label, under screwcap. The black label, Pouri (meaning darkness), reflecting the deeper, savory style was produced by Mack and bottled under cork. The labels, which were designed by a young Kiwi artist named Dante Adams, depict the Nahe river and an abstract image of a Kiwi bird. For the 2023 vintage, only the white label was produced.