Category Archives: Sauvignon Blanc

Sancerre and Poilly Fume

Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire

9 May 2010

Given the vast quantities of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs that we see, it is easy to forget that the Loire Valley in France is the spiritual home of the variety. It can be quite startling to taste the French wines along side the New Zealand wines – the styles that they are made in are so different.

The wines of Sancerre and Poilly Fume often display the creamy/worked characters associated with extended lees contact and lees stirring. The better wines may also be fermented and stored in oak, which further increases complexity.

We looked at a range of French wines that are either now on sale, or will be arriving in the country in the next month or so to see how they stacked up. It should be noted that wines from 2009 were bottled and shipped from France in the last three weeks. The resulting “bottle shock” means the wines will improve with a few weeks rest.

Tasted

Florian Mollett – Sancerre – Roc de l’abbaye – 2009 (17.5). Savoury nose with creamy characters associated with lees contact. There is also an underlying mineral component. The palate starts off fine and steely, with a creamy, textural component. A pretty yet powerful wine that will improve in the short term. Great value at $25 from Lamont’s in Cottesloe.

Pascal Jolivet – Sancerre – 2008 (18). A touch more lifted with some tropical and stone fruit (both peach and apricot), with some development starting. The palate is more worked and textured, powerful and viscous. This is long and builds in the mouth with fine citrus acidity. A lovely wine.

Florian Mollett – Sancerre – L’ Antique – 2009 (16.9). More fragrant again with apricot, musk, sherbet and passionfruit. These characters follow on the palate with green apple and lime juice acidity. Develops some oily, spicy notes and has a touch of phenolics. I would like to see this again in six months.

Florian Mollett – Sancerre – 2009 (17.5). Closed, steely, pristine and young. In the mouth – steely, taught, fine and fresh. A simpler style that may develop some complexity from time in the bottle.

Comte La Fond – Sancerre – 2007 (17.3). In some ways, this blends characteristics from all the other Sancerres. Some tropical fruit, passionfruit and musk, but also with complex “worked” characters and some bottle age.

Jean Paul Mollett – Pouilly Fume – L’ Antique – 2009 (17.5+). Closed to start, but with some lemony, citrus notes. Becomes fragrant and spicy with air. The palate is quite grippy, with lemony acid. Fruit is there, but is very shy. Almond and apricot to close. One to watch.

Jean Paul Mollett – Pouilly Fume – 2009 (17.8). Tight and really lemony. Steely, slate minerals and balancing lemon acidity. This should go down a treat next summer and should be excellent value.

Jean Paul Mollett – Pouilly Fume – Les Sables – 2009 (17.5+). More richness and texture here with a touch of fresh soap and herbal notes over a touch of stone-fruit. Crisp acidity with granny smith apple and lemon zest. Great example that will only improve.

Ladoucette – Poilly Fume – 2006 (17.5). A big wine. “Turbo-charged”. This is worked and showing some development. Lanolin and lees from barrel fermentation. The palate is creamy and textured, with honeyed development. There are some oak tannins to close. Good drinking and ready now.

New Release

21 February 2009

A mixed bag this week with a selection of good quality cabernets, and a bracket of sauvignon blanc. There were several note-worthy wines including the Crossings sauvignon blanc and the MadFish – Sideways cabernet. Both represent excellent value. The Vasse Felix cabernet is excellent.

The pair of cabernets from Houghton’s proved to be the most informative though. Both samples were left in a very hot stairwell for many days in the middle of summer. (This was prior to delivery to me). The Gladstone was showing obvious signs of heat damage that really flattened the fruit. The C.W. Ferguson was in much better condition, though perhaps not quite perfect. The Gladstone has a cork and the Ferguson is under screw cap. A compelling example of the benefits of screw caps.

So to the tasting…

Reviewed

Houghton – Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec – C.W. Ferguson – 2007 (18.2). Wow. Fresh and vibrant fruit with clear varietal black-currant on the nose. Silky and fine, but with high quality fruit and oak. Fine and elegant and good drinking. Will improve with time. (May be even better with a fresh bottle).

Vasse Felix – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2007 (17.9). Wow, forward and lifted cassis on the nose with ripe red fruit and red-currants. Develops cedar and cinnamon with air. The palate is ripe and chewy. This is a big, rich wine with excellent mouth-feel. Soft tannins and supple acid make for excellent early drinking. The fine tannins build on the close which will support medium term cellaring.

MadFish – Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot – Sideways – 2008 (17.8). Closed to start but with some vanillin tones and red fruits. Continues on the palate with black-currant and fine oak to close. Well made using good fruit. Fine tannins complement the fine cedary finish.

Crossings – Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (17.4). Soft, fresh and perfumed, with some lantana as well as gooseberry and lychees. The palate is well balanced, round and generous. The finish is savoury and long. Zesty acid to close. This is really good drinking at around $15.

Capel Vale – Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon – Debut – 2009 (17). Restrained and tight on the nose. The palate is subtle and quite seamless. Lemony fruit dominates the finish. Excellent balance and mouth-feel. A delicate wine.

Castelli – Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot – Cerca – 2008 (17). Dense but closed.. This has quite serious fruit. The palate is dense, chewy, silky elegant, structured. Long and lean finish. Very fine tannins build. Needs ten years to show best though some may question the cooler fruit characters.

MadFish – Cabernet Sauvignon – Gold Turtle – 2007 (16.8). Ripe and dense. Good quality fruit. Red currant. The palate is quite lean, with good structure, but lacking depth. Will flesh out in a few years.

Deepwoods – Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (16.7). A serious style that received more support from other panel members. Closed and dumb. Grapey characters on the nose and palate with some barrel ferment and oak characters. A touch of oxidative winemaking perhaps? Complex but not mainstream.

Cumulus – Sauvignon Blanc – Climbing – 2009 (16.5). Aromatic, but with a grassiness that cuts through on the nose. Some tropical notes and passionfruit. The palate is clean and fresh, but remains lean, tight and grassy. A lemony finish with plenty of acid. Apricot to close.

Millbrook – Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (16.5.) Very pale. More in your face, forward and vibrant, but a bit too cheeky for my palate.

New Release Whites

21 January 2010

The change to screw cap closures on wines has been something that I have publicly embraced as a great compromise for wine lovers. Being free of all of the imperfections of cork is what it is all about. Whilst the screw cap is inert and reliable, it is not fool-proof. One important difference that I have noted is that wines stay fresher for longer. This impacts on both wines that you buy to age and wines that are best drunk young.

With wines designed for early consumption, like most of the wines in this tasting, the increased freshness has had another consequence that we need to bear in mind. By being slower to develop, they appear to take a little longer in bottle to show there best.

Years ago, I would not dream of keeping a sauvignon blanc for more than a year, but with many of the wines in this tasting, they were actually a little closed and tight. Several looked even better the next day with a bit of airing. I am not suggesting that you start ageing these styles, but it may be worth giving them a bit of air if you find that they do not meet your expectations. Some of the lightly oaked styles can easily take 2-3 years in the cellar.

So to the wines. Once again, the 2009 Clairault sauvignon blanc showed well. This is a lovely drink. Forester also seem to be kicking some goals with their sauvignon. I continue to be impressed with the wines from Deviation Road from the Adelaide hills. I must try and visit them at some stage this year.

This was meant to be a Semillon Sauvignon Blanc tasting, but unfortunately a few pinot gris/grigio wine got mixed up.

Tasted

Deviation Road – Pinot Gris – 2009 (17.5+). Clean and fresh smelling. There is sherbet, musk, pineapple and a touch of cinnamon. Evolves on the palate and has excellent mouth feel and texture. Persistent and balanced. Good acidity to close. (I had a glass with salmon the next night and it was excellent.)

Clairault – Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (17.5). Following on from the excellent 2008, this is another cracker! More overt and obvious than some, there is pristine fruit on the nose in the tropical spectrum with pulpy passionfruit. The palate is really quite tight at the moment but the fruit really builds in the mouth. Will develop over the next 6 months. There might be a touch of residual sugar, but it is all the better for it.

Forester – Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (17.5). Some zesty fruit on this. Ripe, concentrated passionfruit and tropical fruit with pineapple acid. Some winemaker inputs. Textured palate with good mouth feel. Lemony acid to close. Quite a big wine.

Flametree – Sauvignon Blanc Semillon – 2009 (17). Pungent sauvignon characters with lantana and a touch of vanilla. Crème brulle on the creamy palate. Very good fruit and wine making. Fine close.

Hamlin Bay – Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (17). Lifted, grassy fruit with some passionfruit and musk. The palate is long, fresh and surprisingly viscous. Passionfruit to close. The finish is closed but well balanced.

Wine By Brad – Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (16.8). Focused and precise nose. Quite fragrant, complex and balanced,with fresh acidity to keep the finish alive. Good summer drinking

Millbrook – Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – Barking Owl – 2009 (16.6). Creamy nose, with some interesting fruit. Sweet fruit but without great excitement. Good current drinking.

Deviation Road – Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (16.5+). A different style to the WA and NZ wines. Starts off zesty and tight. The palate is powerful, long, focused but closed. Will do better with 6 months in the bottle.

Forester – Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (16.5+). This is closed and tight. This is quite a serious wine with good viscosity/mouth-feel and some worked wine making inputs. Will be better in a few months.

Howard Park – Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (16.5+). Sweet and ripe fruit on the nose, this is lacking some definition at present. A crowd pleasing style that builds intensity. Will be better in a few months.

Preveli – Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (16.5). More of the grassy characters here. Some musk and sherbet too. The palate is racy, but the acid is a little firm now.

New Release Whites

29th August 2009

After the excitement of last weeks Chapoutier tasting, we were brought back to earth with a thud this week with an uninspiring tasting of sauvignon blanc, semillon and blends. None of the wines are bad, it is just that they lack excitement. Fortunately, there were a couple of exceptions. The La Strada sauvignon blanc is a great example of the style that New Zealand is famous for. It is a complex and serious wine.

The Paul Nelson is an interesting wine too. Paul is the wine maker at Galafrey’s winery down in Mt Barker. I am not sure if this is a side project, but it is definitely worth trying. It would appear that production is very small, so try the winery direct.

Tasted

La Strada – Sauvignon Blanc – 2008 (17.8). Lifted tropical nose of lantana and lanolin. The palate is all lemony, ripe and focused. The palate is very long and the finish is precise. Texture and mouth feel make this wine stand out. Very smart.

Paul Nelson – Fume Blanc – Sauvignon Blanc – 2009 (17). Textbook nose with fresh and floral accents. There are some herbaceous undertones. The palate has musk, citrus and candied notes and is very long. The touch of residual sugar is nicely balanced.

Kim Crawford – Sauvignon Blanc – 2008 (16.7). All grassy and cut hay on the nose with green pea too. The palate leads with lantana, passion fruit and zest. Lacks the depth of the La Strada.

Allan Scott – The Moorelands – Sauvignon Blanc – 2006 (16.6). Full of green pea and gooseberry, with grassy notes on the nose. The palate follows with grassy and herbaceous characters. Interestingly, there is a touch of CO2.

Peos – Sauvignon Blanc – 2008 (16.5). Quite closed and restrained, but hints at quality. The palate is also restrained and the wine is taught, racy and on edge. Fruit may blossom in a few months.

Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon & Riesling

New Release

Reviewed: 22 June 2012

A variety of styles on display here. The complexity of the sauvignon blancs that had seen some oak appealed to the panel, though, like chardonnay, they could do with a couple of years in the bottle to reach their peak.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Brown Brother Patricia dessert wine was lauded by the panel. A superb wine that will hold its own against many high priced Sauternes, though the style is different.

Reviewed – Dry

The Lane – Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon – The Gathering – 2009 (17.5+). Very textural wine. This is more akin to chardonnay, with creamy oak and lees/barrel ferment notes and lemony fruit. This is a powerful wine with great length and oak complexity. Like a good chardonnay, I would encourage you to give this plenty of air or a year or two in the bottle to allow the fruit to come through.

Leeuwin Estate – Sauvignon Blanc – Art Series – 2011 (17.5). One of the more serious wine here, in that it has been deftly massaged in the winery. The quality fruit has been well managed and displays plenty of southern Margaret River grassy notes. The palate hads nutty flavours and is textured, intense and pristine. Very long with good mouth-feel, the acid is still firm. Oak complexity (courtesy of the 30% of the fruit that was barrel fermented), fills out the finish.

Millbrook – Sauvignon Blanc – 2012 (17.2). Less grassy fruit and more tropical flavours than a lot of WA SB’s. Zesty palate that is long, with passionfruit pulp to close. Persistent and mouth-filling, the finish is very drying. A smart wine from Margaret River.

Chalk Board – Sauvignon Blanc – 2010 (17). Cut grass on the nose, but there is a lot more going on here. I wonder if this has seen a touch of barrel ferment, as the textural component of the wine is a standout. Long and fresh, the acidity ties the palate together well. A surprisingly serious wine. Made by Wairau River from Marlborough fruit.

Galafrey – Sauvignon Blanc – Sauvy – 2011 (16.8). Racy, precise, textured and long, this is an excellent drink. This has quite delicate floral fruit, but I expect it to open up with a few more months in the bottle. There is a hint of residual sugar to balance out the palate nicely.

Mount Riley – Sauvignon Blanc – Marlborough – 2011(16.5). Overt and attractive nose. Grassy and herbaceous to start, with tropical highlights building in the glass. Long and tight, this is a leaner style that is very drinkable.

De Bortoli – Sauvignon Blanc – La Bossa – 2011(15.5). Bright and fresh, though quite simple fruit. Pleasant, fresh fruit flavours combine well with a touch of residual sugar to make this an excellent quaff.

Reviewed – Sweet

Brown Brothers – Riesling – Patricia – 2008 (18.2). Amazing palate that is intense, yet very fine and elegant. Long and fine, this should not be served too cold. The balance here is the key, as the wine blends power, intensity and persistence with finesse and elegance. A complex, botrytis affected wine with dried apricot and citrus peel and acidity that gives the wine real life on the palate.

Cherubino – Riesling – The Yard – Botrytis – 2010 (17.4). Volatile, but in a good way with hints of varnish and resin. Much more viscous than the Clairault, with greater length on the palate and moderate persistence. Apricots, honey and marmalade on an unctuous finish.

Clairault – Riesling – Cane Cut – 2011 (17.3). Lovely nose redolent of apricots, but with much more to offer. Fresh, bright, long and intense fruit on the palate with just enough acidity to balance the sweetness. Intense and persistent, this is a lovely drink. (Though lacks the ultimate length of the best).

Juniper Estate – Riesling – Cane Cut – 2010 (17). Lighter and fresher than the others here, this is a little less sweet, and all the better for it. This will be the perfect foil for cheese or lighter desserts.

Domaine A Tasting

Reviewed: 15 March 2013

Peter and Ruth Althaus started Domaine A in 1989 when they purchased a small vineyard on a 20 hectare property in Tasmania’s Coal Valley. Peter was in Sydney recently to show off the wineries current release wines and taste some back vintages of various wines.

Peter is rightly proud of the wines that he produces. The whole range is of very high quality and the wines are not made to follow fashion. They are individualistic and represent exactly what Peter is trying to achieve.

Personal experience suggests that the wines age superbly, though on the day, I was too late to try the older wines. Others reported that the 1998 Domaine A is drinking superbly (from magnum).

The wines are not cheap, but they are certainly worth seeking out. The usual caveat applies to this report – the wines were not tasted blond, so my points are best used as a guide only.

Reviewed

Domaine A – Sauvignon Blanc – Stoney Vineyard – 2011 (17). Grassy aromas over green pea and gentle herbal notes. This has quite a serious nose and displays good complexity. (whilst this sees no oak, it does spend six months on lees). The palate is viscous and textured, with floral notes over the grassy fruit. With 10g/l of residual sugar, there is notable sweetness from the mid palate through to the long and fine finish. This is something that Peter has done to improve drinkability. Whilst this won’t suit all palates, it makes and excellent alternative to an NZ or Adelaide hills wine.

Domaine A – Sauvignon Blanc – Lady A – 2008 (17.5). From a one hectare plot, this wine gets the royal treatment. Barrel fermentation and 1 year in new French oak followed by further time in the cellar. A complex nose that has minerals and match-strike/flint characters from barrel ferment and lees work. At 5 years of age, this is really coming together beautifully. The hint of gun smoke on the long finish adds interest. Despite the expansive winemaking inputs, this is a surprisingly gentle/elegant wine with subtlety and charm. A delightful wine.

Domaine A – Pinot Noir – Stoney Vineyard – 2011 (17.3). Quite a meaty/earthy nose. Quite grippy on the palate now, this needs a few years for the cherry/pippy fruit to settle in to the structure. With air, this is quite long and dominated by savoury/spicy notes. A smart wine that works best with food, where the savoury characters come in to their own.

Domaine A – Cabernet Sauvignon – Stoney Vineyard – 2007 (17.5). The extra time in bottle makes its presence felt in this wine. Savoury and spicy, with forest floor highlights, this is a long and textured wine of real presence. Whilst a long way removed from the wines of Margaret River and Coonawarra in style, this is a textural feast and represents excellent value.

Domaine A – Cabernet blend – Petit “a” – 2008 (17.8). A much more familiar flavour profile here, with ripe fruit showing black currant and even a hint of cassis. The palate is fine and textured, though the finish is linear and structure. Either food or time will serve this well.

Domaine A – Pinot Noir – Domaine A – 2008 (17.8). Delicate and refined nose that is subtle and intriguing. The palate is extraordinarily fine, with the core of tannins providing a seamless passage from mid palate to the very long conclusion. In the style of Gevrey? According to the website, the low yields mean that it takes two vines to produce each bottle of this wine. (Diam closure).

Domaine A – Cabernet Sauvignon – Domaine A – 2008 (18.5). Densely structured fruit leads the attack on the nose. This is a powerful wine, though it is not “big”. The power comes from concentrated fruit that whilst ripe, is at the cooler end of the flavour spectrum. There are hints of black fruits, crushed ant, a touch of menthol and supple, cedary spice. The length is outstanding, though this needs years to reach its peak. The wine spends three years in new French oak and is held back for another two years in bottle. A superb wine and a worthy alternative to the wines of Moss Wood, Cape Mentelle etc.

Chardonnay & Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc

Reviewed 18 June 2011

The chardonnay bracket was one of the strongest that the panel can remember. The semillon and SB wines were also pretty smart. All in all, one of the more memorable tastings with a higher than usual success rate.

Highlights for me were the Mt Horricks semillon and many of the chardonnays. If I had to pick one, it would be the Brookland Valley. Perhaps this is not quite as great as the Leeuwin, Heytsebury and Xanadu, but it is a sheer joy to drink now and over the next five years.

Reviewed

Chardonnay

Leeuwin Estate – Chardonnay – Art Series – 2008 (18/18.7). Remarkably similar to a Sauzet Puligny Montrachet that I was lucky enough to drink last weekend. Very restrained and tight, though the acid is exhilarating. Hints of stonefruit to what is a smart wine. Lots of minerals and textural components to close, including some very fine oak tannins. After one day, this started to get some flesh on the mid palate. After two, it showed a treat. As with all Leeuwin Estate chardonnays, this will age well. Indeed, this wine demands to be cellared for at least 5 – 10 years to even approach its peak.

Vasse Felix – Chardonnay – Heytsebury – 2009. (18 – 18.5). Mineral, slate and a touch of match strike. Curry leaf, vanillin oak and creamy texture on the palate. A wine that has had all the treatment (barrel Ferment, lees stirring, oak aging, malo-lactic fermentation). Powerful and complex, this is a wine with great length. The powerful fruit makes this a great drink now or over the next 5 years.

Brookland Valley – Chardonnay – 2009 (18.3). A touch more nervous energy in this wine. Superb quality fruit and excellent wine-making have combined to make a wine of finesse and elegance. The fruit has intensity and power, but this is held in check by the tight knit oak and pineapple acidity. A seamless palate with tremendous length. This received extra marks for being an excellent drink!

Xanadu – Chardonnay – Reserve – 2010 (18+). Closest in style to the Leeuwin Estate. Curry leaf, flint and mineral notes on the nose with pineapple undertones. The palate is lovely, with intense fruit, seamless oak and a silky palate. The balance here is the key. There is an undercurrent of stonefruit on a wine that is complex and well worked. Needs 5 years to show its best.

Clairault – Chardonnay – Estate – 2010 (18). A superb nose that is complex, yet full of life. Creamy, peachy fruit, with just a hint of curry leaf that signals quality. Lemony oak dominates the fruit on the palate, but this is a very tight and fresh wine. Look for grapefruit and pineapple with citrus acid to close. Give it a few years to watch it blossom as this became quite expressive as it opened.

Clairault – Chardonnay – 2010 (17.5). Restrained and dumb at present. A good wine, with no rough edges, just lacks the excitement of the Estate. Good length and quality fruit. Light, fresh and elegant, with granny smith texture on a very long palate. A well made wine that is tight and lean in a contemporary style.

Forester – Chardonnay – 2010 (17.7). Closed and tight, yet there is no questioning the quality of this wine. Lemony fruit with hints of sherbet and tropical fruit. The oak is subtle and adds finesse to the close. Good drinking without being over the top, this wine held its own in a big bracket!

S/SB

Mount Horricks – Semillon – 2010 (17.7). Creamy and quite delicious. Honey, vanilla and lemony fruit, with a hint of crème caramel. On the palate, this is a powerful wine that has been given royal treatment (barrel Ferment, lees stirring, oak aging). Creamy and textured, with lovely lemony fruit that runs to the end of the palate.

Carpe Diem – Sauvignon Blanc – Schiaffo – 2010 (17). A very interesting wine that is not your typical Margaret River SB. More golden in colour, this has lanolin and vanillin oak notes to open. Lemony and tight, the palate is near seamless. Slight char to the oak is apparent on the finish. A quality wine that needs a year or two to settle down. Try instead of chardonnay.

Stella Bella – Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc – 2010 (17). Quite pungent fruit on the nose reflecting the cooler southern end of the Margaret River region. Lychee, passionfruit, lantana and tropical notes on the nose. Plenty of acid on the palate with good length and intensity. Smart.

Willow Bridge – Sauvignon Blanc – Fume – 2010 (17+). As the name suggests, made in a different style to most Australian SBs. This has seen 8 months in oak. Complex nose and palate that has creamy lees characters and a touch of toast from the oak. Has a passing resemblance to White Bordeaux. An interesting wine that is worth trying.

Drakesbrook – Sauvignon Blanc – 2010 (16.8). A touch more creamy than some, which is suggestive of some lees contact. (None mentioned on the label). The palate is bright, grassy and zesty, with good mouth-feel and length. An approachable wine that is good current drinking.

Leeuwin Estate – Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon – Siblings – 2010 (16.8). A fairly mainstream example of this blend. Starts of quite closed, but develops grassy/tropical notes with air. Lemon brullee on the palate. Very tight and a touch austere right now, this is a wine that could do with a year in bottle to settle down. Not overly complex, but nice zesty lemon fruit, good length and refreshing acidity.