Shaw & Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Sauvignon Blanc grew up in France in a little district called Gironde.  Now it finds a prestigious home in the Loire Valley and Bordeaux, where it can make some expectational wines but with every variety it has migrated all over the globe.  Shaw & Smith were one of the pinoeers for the variety in the Adelaide Hills so it is always interesting to see what they are doing.  When you compare this to the French wines this one sees no oak whatsoever and is a little more fruit forward.  Martin Shaw is trying to capture as much of the vineyard characteristics so he doesn't want to add anything that could interfere with the bright flavours of the Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc.

The Shaw & Smith cellar door is something to behold which could easily fit into an architectural magazine yet the staff are friendly which makes people feel at home and at ease. As the Crush Festival is coming up I would recommend people get up there on the 29th of January to take part in the festivities.

Shaw & Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2011

As with a lot of wines from 2011, this one is ultra reserved with a little extra complexity.  There are the normal flavours of passion-fruit, gooseberries and guava but it is mixed with lemon grass, capsicum and spice.  As soon as the flavours hit the back of my palate my mouth starts to water.  mmmm acidity! You could easily suck this down now yet it will improve in the bottle. This wine offers something more than your normal Sauvignon Blanc in term of flavour and quality but I would love to see Martin and his team make a reserve Sauvignon with a little oak action and lees stirring to take it up the texture path.

Alcohol: 12.5%
Price: $20 - 25
Rated: 87
Drink: Now - 2016