Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
Pale gold in color, this Sauvignon Blanc from the recently relocated Henry's Drive team, is a shining example of the Adelaide Hills' ability to make world class Sauvignon Blanc. The nose is a perfumed fruit bowl of pineapples, apples, limes and orange peel with touches of honeysuckle. It's medium in weight, with slippery texture and fantastically crunchy acidity with a copper-penny-like tang. Food-friendly, this would make an excellent bottle to bring to a summertime dinner party. Editors' Choice.
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.