Who makes it
Nick Goldschmidt grew up in New Zealand, lived in Australia, Chile and Argentina, and now lives in Healdsburg. He consults for 26 wineries in 6 countries and owns winery operations in 4 nations. Goldschmidt Vineyards makes handcrafted, small production artisan wines from named vineyards and individual grape varieties. His approach is to make wine appropriate to each area.
Boulder Bank Sauvignon Blanc comes from Marlborough, New Zealand. Forefathers is another Sauvignon Blanc bottling with its own harvest and cellar treatment.
Where it grows
Boulder Bank vineyard sits in Marlborough, New Zealand. Boulder Bank Sauvignon Blanc puts the vineyard name beside Sauvignon Blanc on the label. Its single vineyard designation means the grapes come from one named vineyard, so the bottle pairs a place name with a grape variety.
Boulder Bank's soil comprises river rock and sandy loam typical of vineyards near the Opawa River. Salinity in the soil imparts minerality to the finished wine.
How it is made
The cellar
At Boulder Bank, Nick Goldschmidt oversees a meticulous viticultural regimen and visits Marlborough to ensure it is followed. Forefathers Sauvignon Blanc is machine harvested at 2:00 am for maximum cold temperatures, immediately pressed and inoculated, then cold fermented entirely in stainless steel. It is aged on the lees for 3 months to accentuate creaminess. Lees are the spent yeast cells left after fermentation, and contact with them can soften the texture.
What they make
The named wines are organised around Sauvignon Blanc. Boulder Bank is the Marlborough bottle named for a vineyard. Forefathers is a separate Sauvignon Blanc bottling with an early machine harvest, immediate pressing, cold stainless steel fermentation and lees ageing. Boulder Bank carries the vineyard name; Forefathers carries the more explicit cellar method, with Sauvignon Blanc in both.
The Sauvignon Blancs are pale straw in colour. Forefathers opens with citrus blossom, apricot, pear and nectarine on the nose, then moves to white flowers and honeysuckle on the palate. Its finish is lingering and mouthwatering.