Winemaker Notes
The Shaw + Smith Sauvignon Blanc typically it shows a pink grapefruit character, concentration and mid-palate texture, which reflect the carefully selected sites and hand harvesting during the small window of perfect ripeness. The 2021 has lemon, lime and pink grapefruit aromas and real persistence of flavor.
Professional Ratings
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Australian Wine Companion
Hand-picked fruit, cool fermentation in stainless steel, maturation on lees and early bottling. A model of consistency over 32 vintages, Shaw + Smith Sauvignon Blanc continues to lead the way in 2021 with a combination of fruit intensity and a seeming lightness of being. It's told in 2 parts; the 1st is exuberant tropicals, citrus and herbal interplay, but it quickly moves into a state of serious intensity, filigree acidity and mealy texture. That lasting impression saturates the tastebuds and stays with you.
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James Suckling
A very strong vintage for this popular Adelaide Hills sauvignon, it sits in a deliciously ripe yet fresh zone and is bathed in peach, nectarine, green-mango and passion-fruit aromas and flavors. Delivered in straight-up, drinkable mode on release. Screw cap.
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a particularly delicious bottling from one of the Adelaide Hills region’s most well-known names. Bright peach and citrus fruit bounce from the glass, with more delicate floral notes just behind. There’s almost none of the green veg pungency found in many New World Sauvignons. The palate offers equally vibrant fruit flavors. It glides along a creamy texture, finishing long and refreshing.
Editors' Choice -
Wine Spectator
Pear drop, peach and pineapple flavors are mouthwatering, intense and vividly in focus in this white, with lemongrass accents lining the finish.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
A narrow band of hills and valleys east of the city of Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills region is a diverse landscape featuring a variety of microclimates. In general it is moderate with high-altitude areas cooler and wetter compared to its warmer, lower areas.
Piccadilly Valley, the part of Adelaide Hills closest to the city, was first staked out by a grower named Brian Croser, in the 1970s for a cool spot to grow Chardonnay, then uncommon in Australia. Today a good amount of the Chardonnay goes to winemakers outside of the region.
Producers here experiment with other cool-climate loving aromatic varieties like Pinot Gris, Viognier and Riesling. Charming sparkling wine is also possible. On its north side, lower, west-facing slopes make full-bodied Shiraz.