Winemaker Notes
The grapes for The Sabre are from some of the oldest and best sited Pinot Noir vineyards in the high cool comate Lenswood and Piccadilly sub-regions of the Adelaide Hills. A mix of clones including 777, 114 and 115, with canopies leaf-plucked on the eastern side after fruit set to give optimum exposure. Made in small batches, all cold soaked and hand plunged in open fermenters. 100% malolactic fermentation aged in French oak barriques (25% new) for ten months prior to blending.Sabre Pinot Noir layers cuts of dark cherry and forest berries with subtle spice notes on the nose. Rich fruit and a floral lift lead to a finale of lingering gossamer tannins with nuances of toasty oak
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A very bright and spicy pinot that offers up rich cherries and raspberries, as well as fresh, undergrowthy complexity. The palate has a zippy, bright and juicy feel with a very plush central core.
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Wine Enthusiast
This vintage of the Knappsteins’ The Sabre really hits the mark. The aromatic nose is an appealing combo of ripe red berries, peppery spices and vanillin with undertones of mushroom, earth and rocks. Supple with granular tannins, the palate is as savory and spicy as it is fruity, seemingly simple at first but with underlying complexity. It is classy, balanced and just plain yummy.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Adelaide refers to the diverse super zone in South Australia containing the Mount Lofty Ranges Zone (Adelaide Hills, Adelaide Plains and Clare Valley), Fleurieu Zone (Currency Creek, Kangaroo Island, Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale, and Southern Fleurieu) and Barossa Zone (Barossa Valley and Eden Valley).
The Adelaide Hills region is distinguished and beautiful, offering a cool respite in the summer for Adelaide city dwellers. With vineyards planted fairly high in elevation at 1,500 to 1,800 feet, it is known for particularly fine, citrus-driven Sauvignon Blanc.
The Adelaide Plains is a hot region northwest of the Adelaide Hills that produces approachable, value-driven wines.