You see this everywhere. It's easy to find in pretty much any bottle shop fridge and turns up with alarming regularity at BBQs, Summer lunches, etc. Of course, that doesn't mean it's good or bad -- it does, though, mean you're probably going to have a glass or two of it sometime soon...
More than those from some other regions, Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc blends from the Margaret River can tread a fine line between fresh astringency and overbearing grassiness. They don't usually suffer, though, from a personality deficit. So smelling and tasting this wine came as somewhat of a surprise. It's pretty on the nose -- ultra clean, a bit tropical, a bit herbal. But lacking in intensity and character.
The palate is all quite correct, with relatively soft acidity (for the style) that enters freshly and pushes lightly tropical fruit along with zip. There's not much grass or herb here; it's definitely an easygoing, unchallenging flavour profile. The biggest surprise for me is the lack of intensity of flavour. It tastes almost watery on the mid-palate, and this, combined with its flavour profile, turns the wine into a bit of a non-event. It's just not especially interesting. For the price, I would expect more.
Vasse Felix
Price: A$18
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: March 2008
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