Babich Family Estates Headwaters Albariño was first harvested in 2015 from our certified organic Headwaters Vineyard in Marlborough. This aromatic wine is pale, off dry, with a refreshing acidity.
Albariño
Marlborough
Headwaters Vineyard - Wairau Valley
Fish and seafood of all kinds. Spicy dishes also can work well.
1-4 years
This is the 5th harvest of Albariño from our certified organic Headwaters Vineyard. It spent 12hrs soaking on skins prior to pressing. The juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks at controlled cool temperatures to capture the intense flavours and aromatic purity of the variety. Fermentation was halted just prior to dryness.
Alcohol: 13.5%
TA: 5.5g/L
pH: 3.47
Residual Sugar: 3.7g/L
Aromas of lime and orange blossom with rock melon and honeysuckle. Lots of spice.
Sweet fruited entry which continues though the palate. Layered citrus, orange, lime and lemon with a touch if pineapple and gingerbread. Complexity builds with fresh herbs and almond-mealy notes. Very juicy finish.
13.6%
Inoculated and fermented between 12-18C
Stainless Steel vats
Yes
Yeast hulls
24 Brix; pH 3.40; TA 8.0g/L
31st March 2019
Machine
No
7 months on lees
3.47
12hrs skin soak prior to pressing
3.7g/L
5.5g/L
Headwaters Vineyard - Wairau Valley
2019
SILVER MEDAL – New Zealand Organic Wine Awards 2020
4 STARS – Michael Cooper, www.michaelcooper.co.nz
“Certified organic, the highly attractive 2019 vintage (4.5*) was estate-grown in the Headwaters Vineyard, near Renwick, in the Wairau Valley, tank-fermented and lees-aged for seven months. A dry style (3.7 grams/litre residual sugar), it is fresh and mouthfilling, with strong, lively fruit flavours, a slightly salty streak, finely balanced acidity and a lengthy finish. Offering great drinkability, it’s a drink now or cellaring proposition.”
4 STARS
-Michael Cooper, www.michaelcooper.co.nz
Albariño
Marlborough
Headwaters vineyard
Fish and seafood of all kinds. Spicy dishes also can work well.
1-4 years
This is the 4th harvest of Albariño from our certified organic Headwaters Vineyard. It it spent time in cold soak prior to pressing. The juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks at controlled cool temperatures to capture the intense flavours and aromatic purity of the variety. Fermentation was halted prior to dryness to balance the refreshing acidity.
Alcohol: 13.0%
TA: 7.0g/L
pH: 3.45
Residual Sugar: 8.0g/L
Sweetly perfumed and floral (apple blossom) aromas with lime and white stone-fruits.
Big juicy entry with sweet citrus fruits and some tart apple notes. Nicely textured and lush mid-palate moving to spicy and lingering, mineral finish.
Albariño
Marlborough
Headwaters vineyard
Fish and seafood of all kinds. Spicy dishes also can work well.
1-4 years
This is the 3rd harvest of Albariño fruit from our certified organic Headwaters Vineyard. It it spent time in cold soak prior to pressing. The juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks at controlled cool temperatures to capture the intense flavours and aromatic purity of the variety. Fermentation was halted prior to dryness to balance the refreshing acidity. Bottling took place soon after completion of ferment.
Alcohol: 11.5%
TA: 8.0 g/L
pH: 3.25
Residual Sugar: 8.0 g/L
Lifted and pretty aromas, with sweet mandarin/ lemon notes and floral mineral elements. Juicy and sweet fruit entry, predominately tangelo, that moves into honey and lime through to the finish. Mouth-filling and beautifully textured. Great balance.
11.5%
N/A
Inoculated and fermented between 12-14C
In stainless steel vats
Yes
Gelatine
21.5 Brix; pH 3.14; TA 8.4 g/L
17th April
Machine
No
7 months on lees
3.25
6 hours skin soak prior to pressing
8.0 g/L
8.0 g/L
Headwaters vineyard
2017
GOLD MEDAL – Global Organic Masters 2019
4 STARS – Michael Cooper, New Zealand Wines Buyer’s Guide, www.michaelcooper.co.nz , May 2018
93 POINTS – Cameron Douglas MS, The Shout, Aug 2018 issue
91 POINTS – New World Wine Awards 2018
4 STARS – Raymond Chan www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz, Apr 2018
“The vibrant, youthful 2017 vintage (4*) was estate-grown in the Headwaters Vineyard, near Renwick, in the Wairau Valley, tank-fermented and lees-aged for five months. Medium to full-bodied, it is invitingly scented, with strong, citrusy, slightly appley flavours, woven with mouth-watering acidity, a slightly minerally streak and a long, dryish (8 grams/litre residual sugar) finish. Certified organic.”
4 STARS
– Michael Cooper, New Zealand Wines Buyer’s Guide, www.michaelcooper.co.nz , May 2018
“Varietal with white and yellow peach, red apple and lemon; a light saline layer and some wet stone mineral notes. Weighty, fruity and spicy with a white peach to citrus transition on the palate, some juicy fruit gum flavours and a floral note. Just dry, fleshy texture and balanced. A lovely example sure to please many who try.”
93 POINTS
– Cameron Douglas MS, The Shout, Aug 2018 issue
“Brilliant, light straw-yellow colour with pale golden hues, lighter on the rim. The nose is fresh and tightly bound, quite elegant in expression with delicately penetrating aromas of pure white florals along with subtle notes of citrus fruit, white stonefruits and minerals. Dry to taste and medium-bodied, the palate has taut, but intense flavours of white stonefruits, white florals, and citrus fruit. The palate is brisk and racy with zesty acidity, with the wine showing excellent energy and drive. This flows along a very fine-textured line, carrying to a slim, but intense and sustained finish. This is an elegant, but intensely flavoured dry Albarino with stonefruit, floral and citrus fruit flavours on a zesty palate with drive and linearity.”
4 STARS
-Raymond Chan, www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz, Apr 2018
Albariño
Marlborough
Headwaters vineyard
Fish and seafood of all kinds. Spicy dishes also can work well.
1-4 Years
This is the 2nd harvest of Albariño fruit from our certified organic Headwaters Vineyard. It it spent time in cold soak prior to pressing. The juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks at controlled cool temperatures to capture the intense flavours and aromatic purity of the variety. Fermentation was halted prior to dryness to balance the refreshing acidity. Bottling took place soon after completion of ferment.
Alcohol: 13.5%
TA: 7.1g/l
pH: 3.2
Residual Sugar: 5.2g/l
A floral lift with lime zest and clover honey. Fresh and juicy sweet , grapefruit and lingering spice/mineral finish.
13.50%
18 to 19C
Stainless Steel Tank
Yes
None
24.1 Brix; pH 3.19; TA 9.1 g/l
1st April
Machine
None
6 months on lees
3.2
6 hrs skin soak prior to pressing
5.2 g/l
7.1 g/l
Headwaters vineyard
2016
4 STARS – Raymond Chan, www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz, April 2017
4 STARS – Michael Cooper, www.michaelcooper.co.nz, May 2017
“Brilliant light straw colour with slight green hues, pale edged. The nose is elegantly presented with gently growing volume, unfolding exotic white and yellow florals with white stone-fruit and citrus fruit aromas, along with herb interest. The aromatics are attractively detailed. Dry to taste and medium-full bodied, the palate is vibrant and lively with aromatic fruit flavours of citrus and stone-fruits entwined with exotic florals and hints of spice. The fruit shows with richness and succulence, balanced by fine phenolic textures and refreshing, brisk acidity. This has a concentrated core and line that carries to a lingering floral finish. This is a subtly rich-fruited dry Albariño with citrus, stone-fruit and floral flavours on a fine-featured, crisp palate.”
4 STARS
– Raymond Chan, www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz, April 2017
“The lively 2016 vintage (4*) was estate-grown in the Headwaters vineyard, on the north side of the Wairau Valley, hand-harvested from organically certified vines, tank-fermented and bottled young. Full-bodied and vibrantly fruity, it is drinking well in its youth, with strong, fresh, citrusy, slightly spicy flavours, crisp, dryish (5 .2 grams/litre residual sugar) and lingering.”
4 STARS
– Michael Cooper, www.michaelcooper.co.nz, May 2017
Marlborough
Headwaters (Wairau Valley)
This award winning wine is suited to fish and seafood of all kinds, and can also work well with spicy dishes.
1-4 Years
This is the first harvest of Albariño fruit from our certified organic Headwaters Vineyard in Marlborough. It was picked by hand and quickly crushed and pressed into a stainless steel tank, where the juice was fermented at controlled cool temperatures to capture the intense flavours and aromatic purity of the variety. Fermentation was halted prior to dryness to balance the refreshing acidity. Bottling took place soon after completion of ferment.
Alcohol: 12.5%
TA: 8.1g/l
pH: 3.13
Residual Sugar: 8.3g/l
A floral lift with lime zest and and clover honey. Fresh and juicy sweet , grapefruit and lingering spice/mineral finish.
Headwaters (Wairau Valley)
2015
SILVER MEDAL – International Aromatics Wine Competition 2015 4 STARS -Raymond Chan, www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz, Jan 2016 SILVER MEDAL – Royal Easter Show Wine Awards 2016 SILVER MEDAL – NZ International Wine Show 2016
“Lush and juicy bouquet of Albarino fruits with white peach and sweet red apple; a hint of spice and lees. On the palate – fruity, spicy, lush and finishes just dry; flavours of peach and citrus, apple and quince; medium+ acidity, a core of fruit mid-palate, balanced and well made, a very nice alternative to Pinot Gris this Summer.”
89 POINTS
– Cameron Douglas MS, NZ Liquor News, Feb 2016
“First crop from the ‘Headwaters’ Wairau vineyard, the fruit hand-picked and cool-fermented in stainless-steel to 12.5% alc. and 8.3 g/L RS. Brilliant, light straw colour, lighter edged. This has a well concentrated nose with penetrating aromas of pungent green stone-fruits, quince, spices and herbs along with lifted white floral and honeyed notes. Off-dry to taste, the flavours are somewhat shy, but show with richness and sweetness, subtly filling the palate with white florals, white and green stone-fruits, quince, spicy herbs, nuts and honey. The mouthfeel is smooth, the sweetness balancing the soft phenolic line, but sufficiently enlivened by softly fresh acidity. The wine carries to a rich, exotic finish of honey, herbs and florals. This is an off-dry Albarino with white floral, quince and stone-fruit flavours and a smooth-textured palate with balanced richness and acidity.”
4 STARS
– Raymond Chan, www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz, Jan 2016
“The 2015 Albarino Headwaters offers fragrant peaches, pears and allspice notes with a hint of honeysuckle. The light to medium-bodied palate offers a good intensity of uncomplicated stone fruit flavors with appealing freshness for everyday drinking.”
– Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate, June 2017
