Sauvignon Blanc

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Woody Nook has been championing this style of barrel fermented sauvignon blanc for some years. And yet again, it's achieved something special that shows that the humble savvy does have a place if you're prepared to work on it. It was wild yeast fermented and then went into second-use French oak puncheons with regular lees stirring over about eight months....

Frankland River

Sauvignon Blanc

From the get-go, you know you are in a savvy zone with those aromas of crunchy passionfruit, guava and a bright citrusy character of fruit. There is a touch of cut grass herbaceousness as well. The palate has a crunchy minerality with a lifted gooseberry nuance. It's delightfully fruity, but with a fine holding acidity to sustain the finish. A...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Now I do like this wine. After two picking runs to retain acidity and add fruit depth, the wine was whole bunch pressed and fermented in amphora and larger format oak with 10 months and partial secondary fermentation. The nose captures the fresh saline citrus characters of this variety with just a faint hint of green apple and sliced pear....

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Warmer year equates to a wine of rich, deep flavour. Typically, bright aromatics, but I find the texture and mouthfeel captivating in this latest Elsa sauvignon blanc. Floral stone fruit and lightly grassy tropical characters on the nose. The palate then reveals a subtle honeysuckle and light butterscotch, almost like a chardonnay, with a cute beeswax character. Richly layered palate...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Don’t expect one of those Kiwi fruit bombs. This is a savvy with a subdued yet still intensity of flavour that makes it an interesting alternative to those very forward styles. Nectarine, light tropical nose and a hint of guava and a slight lemon zest to the finish combine to produce an excellent wine for immediate drinking. Love the textural...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

A fume style that shows the influence of oak, but never lets it intrude or overpower. It was picked and left on skins before wild fermentation in seasoned French oak with a further nine months maturation. Combines the intensity of the varietal characters of citrus and tropical fruits with a slightly minerally creamy character on the palate. Has a zingy...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Oh yes. First sniff and you know you’re in the savvy zone. Bursting with vibrant fresh passionfruit and apply characters with a decent hit of citrus/ The palate is lively with punchy fruit flavours showing those slightly gooseberry and minerally herbal notes. Zingy acid completes an excellent wine. This is a pure savvy, but there’s a little more here in...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

A fume style that doesn’t overblow the use of oak. It’s still rather tight but with ageing it will emerge with layers of rich complexity. This was a stunning vintage so within the walls of this wine there is plenty of firepower. There’s a nice minerality here too to carry the palate through to a long finish. A classy example...

Great Southern

Sauvignon Blanc

This restrained vintage required a deft touch when it came to the addition of oak, especially with fume styles like this one. Fortunately, these guys know what they are doing and have produced a highly drinkable young savvy will a compelling mix of lemon zest and light toasty cashew. Crisp long palate with a nice finish of oak.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

The impact and influence of a small amount of barrel fermentation is immediately apparent. Slightly nutty and creamy notes merge with the lively crunchy passionfruit of this variety. The palate is bright and punchy with a citrussy edge. Lifted, fine finish.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Dukes puts his winemaking stamp on this baby with the use of oak to complement the Sauvignon Blanc. It was such a beautiful vintage and the fruit so perfectly presented that the oak sits harmoniously in support. Has a lemon zest and slightly nutty character with other spices and citrus characters emerging. I like the slightly steely flinty minerality on...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

A crisp and punchy sauvignon blanc that has just a small amount of semillon in there. Lemony notes with traces of guava provide an attractive opening aroma. The palate is keen and crisp with a fine acidity adding precision. Subtle understated dried herbs and light gooseberry nuances complete things.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

A delicate and restrained aromatic opens on the nose. Then the palate picks it up in style. But there is an intensity of tropical fruit flavours here with a splash of lemon and a sprinkle of spices to elevate. Has a plush fruit-sweet middle palate that is dry through to the finish.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Plenty of intriguing characters and nuances swirling through this fume style sauvignon blanc. The underlying notes passionfruit and tropical fruit are still evident but then the oak introduces other characters of flinty minerals and a slightly smoky nutty nuance. Rich creamy texture but a firm hand guides to a long finish.

Manjimup

Sauvignon Blanc

A punchy little number, this. Not the opulent fruit of previous vintages but one with good melon, light tropical and dusty grassy characters well to the fore. A light splash of citrus lifts on the finish.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

A finer lightly weighted savvy displaying a distinctly linear palate profile. Opens with citrus and minerally influenced lightly tropical fruit aromas. Then the palate brings in a more lemon talcy characters to extend the finish. Best in the short term.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

A pure and almost pristine savvy from this excellent season in Margaret River. Lift of varietal passionfruit with a lime and cut grass addition. Strikes precisely through the palate with a fine lingering acidity. A zest appealing wine for the short term.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

In a hot year like ’24 it is very useful to have access to your own vineyard south of Margaret River at Karridale. A small part of this was fermented in new French oak and it becomes immediately apparent on the nose. It adds a nutty complexity to the primary punchy fruit aromas and then into the palate where it...

Great Southern

Sauvignon Blanc

I think sauvignon blanc must be bullet proof to produce such an enjoyable, though restrained wine in such a hot vintage. Nice minerally citrus and melon aromas with a slight chalky dust character. The palate is finely balanced with nice light flavours finishing with a clean crispness.

Pemberton

Sauvignon Blanc

I’m not sure how Cherubino has made a wine of this quality in such a hot year. But here you go. A sauvignon blanc from Pemberton which was naturally fermented and matured in French oak for eight months. Nutty stone fruit aromas and then a palate where the balance between the oak and fruit nails it. Textured and rich with...

Pemberton

Sauvignon Blanc

Cherubino Pemberton sauvignon blanc 2024 ($39) Cherubino sources this savvy from the excellent Channybearup Vineyard in Pemberton. It’s a lightly framed wine but has a delightful crunchy vibrancy with the influence of a small amount of barrel fermentation and three months in oak bringing it to life. Nice fine minerality with a lightly tropical, citrus and guava complexity. Nice wine....

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

A distinctive style that Woody Nook has championed for some years. Barrel fermented with wild yeast in second use French oak with monthly lees stirring over seven months maturation. Brings that textural feel into play but retains the essential crisp acidity of the sauvignon blanc. Love the bright minerally and slightly chalky feel which promotes a linear palate.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Captures the best of this variety in a stella year for aromatic whites. Greets with a burst of passionfruit and guava with a lemon citrus nuance. The palate is racy with punchy fruit extending to a long finish. Really neat little wine.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Quite beautiful sauvignon blanc displaying those fresh tropical fruit characters with a liberal sprinkling of dried herbs. The palate is textured and flavoursome with a stone fruit and edgier cut lime nuances balanced and pure. This is great current drinking.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

This should be the model for savvies using barrel fermentation. It’s a generous and flavoursome style, based on exceptional fruit, but the oak influence has been judged perfectly so the natural fruit vibrancy isn’t compromised. Creamy tropical stone fruit and slightly nutty characters merge and mingle into a wonderful expression of the variety and style.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

This is a Margaret River savvy, and it’s a good one. Pure vibrant savvy fruit with gooseberry and tropical fruits in abundance. Has a crunchy juicy mouth feel with an edge of tart grapefruit and a little lemon zip. Ready to drink as a youngster.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

The key to this style using oak in the fermentation, is to strike the right balance. In this case it’s been nailed. The small amount of Frenc oak fermentation has added a dimension of richness and texture, while not getting too carried away. There is a neat blend of spices and herbs with a citrus, nutty, cream character. The palate...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Always interesting. And always distinctive. A little bit of winemaking goes in here to create a wine of rare complexity for this variety. All wild yeast fermentation in large format old oak and ceramic eggs successfully builds complexity but retains the vibrancy of the fruit. A complex mix of creamy fruit and dried herbs and lighted floral notes. The palate...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

This is a wine that’s been dialled back a little from earlier versions but still remains true to the style of using oak with sauvignon blanc. Oak fermentation and the use of a concrete egg all help in the composition to create a harmoniously balanced wine of layered complexity and richness. The technique highlights the minerality while retaining the mix...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

This is a light bodied savvy, but one with plenty of fruit intensity delivered with precision and focus. Lift of passionfruit with a light herbaceous character engages on the nose. On the palate the minerally acidity lifts the fruit, presenting a thoroughly beautiful example of the fresh vibrant fruit driven style.

Pemberton

Sauvignon Blanc

Fresh, crisp and alive with all manner of tropical fruit dusted with a light herbaceousness. Typical notes of gooseberry and passionfruit on the nose, while the palate delivers with a crunchy zing from the bright refreshing acidity. Terrific summer quaffing.

Great Southern

Sauvignon Blanc

Almost in a tropical fruit overload. Huge hit of passionfruit, melon and ripe gooseberry on the nose. Into the palate it comes alive with punchy vibrant fruit delivered pure and clean. Right on the money.

Blackwood Valley

Sauvignon Blanc

There’s a bit happening here. It’s no ordinary savvy. I like the restraint and poise in this wine. Sourced from Nannup, it has a minerally citrus tang to it. Has good weight and texture with top note aromatics. Fermented 50% in oak and the rest in tank. It largely goes into puncheons with a portion of Hungarian oak adding spice....

Sauvignon Blanc

There’s a bit of winemaking here which lifts this from your standard model savvy into something a lot more engaging. Fermented in French oak foudres and puncheons with some getting fruit skin contact. It’s created a thoroughly beautiful mouthfeel and textural richness. The oak infusion is so gentle, finessing the flavours through to a sustained balanced finish. Love this style.

Porongurup

Sauvignon Blanc

An excellent Porongurups savvy. It’s textured and flavoursome with a melon edge to the tropical fruit. Has 50% old puncheon fermentation and the rest stainless steel, which shows in the textured mouthfeel and palate structure. The approach has muted the primary punchy fruit characters creating a wine of complexity and interest. Love this wine with its aromatics and acid profile.

Great Southern

Sauvignon Blanc

Sourced from Albany and left on skins for four days before being pressed off to a mix of 20% new oak and all the rest older oak barriques. Creates a more neutral but still flavoursome wine. Has a slightly reductive sweaty character. The fume oak influence mutes the aromatics but retains a beautiful palate feel.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Okay, so this is sauvignon blanc but a serious departure from what you generally expect of this variety. So, let’s cover the making first. Whole bunch basket pressed to a mix of oaks with 2/3 new Troncais. Right there is a significant departure. No adjustments to the juice which was wild fermented before having three months on lees and 10...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Made in a similar way to the standard savvy, but gets an extra six months in the mix of demi-muid and ceramic egg vessels. Lifted gooseberry with a pebbly vanilla bean and stone fruit combo in the nose. The palate reveals more minerally and savoury notes which complement the rich texture. Sustained acidity and a fine flinty edge completes a...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Plenty of interesting winemaking techniques have been used to coax the best from this variety. After gentle whole bunch pressing the fermentation takes place in demi-muid oak barrels and ceramic eggs, where it is left for 12 months with occasional lees stirring to build texture. Intense aromas of lime and passionfruit on the nose with just a trace of vanilla...

Pemberton

Sauvignon Blanc

A punchy vibrant savvy loaded with all the goodies you expect from this variety. The aromas of gooseberry and slightly herbaceous citrussy notes are classically varietal. There’s a trace of minerality to bring things to life. A clean crisp acidity completes a current drinking wine.