The Doctors' Lower Alcohol Sauvignon Blanc

The 2013 vintage at Forrest Wines was underway earlier than most due to the success of The Doctors’ Sauvignon Blanc project over the past 12 months.

Back in 2009 Dr John Forrest had an ambition to master the art of reducing the alcohol in his Sauvignon Blanc through innovative sustainable viticulture. This desire came from the overwhelming success in the New Zealand market with his wine The Doctors’ Riesling, weighing in at a modest 8.5% alcohol.

Since the project began, there has been a significant amount of time, energy and intellectual property put into the project to fast track the development of the wine style that offered 9.5% alcohol without compromising on full flavour and texture.

The project has definitely been a success with The Doctors’ 9.5% Sauvignon Blanc readily available throughout New Zealand in restaurants and retail; in the UK via premium grocer Waitrose; and the wine was launched in Ontario, Canada by the LCBO Vintages during May 2013 and listed by the British Columbia Liquor Board, retail giant Specs in Texas and Whole Foods in New York, also offer the wine. The Doctors’ Sauvignon Blanc is passing all the taste tests for something a little bit different.

Not only wine buyers and drinkers are enjoying the wine, writers are also intrigued with this style of Sauvignon Blanc from Forrest Wines with it featuring in UK wine writer Jamie Goode’s 100 best white wines under £10, for its ‘balanced flavours’ and Olly Smith commenting on its ‘massive flavour’ in his February column in the Daily Mail, while also adding ‘hats off to Dr John Forrest, the man behind this masterpiece’.

Dr John Forrest admits the challenge of producing the wine to his high standards has not been easy “My science background encouraged me to keep progressing when some people may have stopped, due to a few knocks. I knew we could create a wine that was in every way a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with an added benefit, and now I think it is proven”. When asked why? "its the perfect wine for that time and that place"

The 2013 vintage has offered perfect growing conditions for The Doctors’ Sauvignon Blanc, allowing Forrest to make further advancements in the development of the wine and introduce the wines to new markets looking for premium offering in this exciting category.

Forrest Wines is a family owned New Zealand Winery based in Marlborough, who aspire to create excellence through innovation.