Nose
Pungent and complex with herbaceous characters of nettle and peashell with
balanced dusty-cedar oak. There is underlying fruit characters of passionfruit
and gooseberry with wafts of wet wool and wood smoke
Palate
Rich, full and textured palate displaying varietal characters of nettle, grass,
passionfruit and gooseberry. The use of oak and wild fermentation has
brought an extra dimension of complexity and structure with characters of
cedar, wet wool and wood smoke. A well integrated and complex wine that
has all the hallmarks of a varietal Sauvignon Blanc.
Growing Conditions
Handpicked fruit from the open lyre trellis “Home Block” vineyard went into
this Sauvignon Blanc. The 2018 vintage was a mild year for white grapes in
Margaret River allowing plenty of time during February and March to ripen
the fruit to our specification.
Bottling
Bottled under screw cap into a premium burgundy bottle in June 2018. After
elevating the Sauvignon Blanc to the ‘Premium’ status within the Forester
range in 2009, we have further increased the structure and complexity of the
wine through barrel fermentation, partial wild fermentation and storage on
lees.
Winemaking
The handpicked fruit was harvested very early in the morning, then sent
immediately to the winery for processing. 32% of the wine was fermented in
stainless steel with a known yeast strain. The remaining wine was fermented
in French barriques with 41% of the blend being fermented with wild yeast on
medium to high solids. The final blend was put together in June 2018.
Aging
68% of the wine spent 3 months in French Barriques. 7% in
new oak and the balance 1 and 4 year old oak.
Appearance
Pale green/straw.
Food Pairing
Goats cheese salad with asparagus, scallops with pea puree.
