It feels more than a little self-indulgent to be sipping Sauvignon Blanc on an evening of such devastation a few hundred kilometres South. Here's hoping life is restored to relative normality as quickly as possible, so we can all enjoy a glass of wine without threat of natural disaster or worse.
I've previously tasted the 2001 vintage of this wine, which showed a marked degree of sweet bottle age alongside its more mineral, edgier dimensions. Interestingly, this bottle is quite youthful, certainly more so than the 2001, though it's difficult to know on the basis of two bottles whether I'm seeing vintage or simply bottle variation.
A very pretty nose here, with delicate green fruit and some flint, plus perhaps a little bit of toast too. It's coherent and characterful, showing a degree of fruit weight that shines through on the palate. Here, there's surprisingly rich green fruit, slightly sour but certainly rounder than something like Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, and with good intensity and power. Even after several years in bottle, there's plenty of acidity to keep things brisk and shapely, tempered by a softer dimension that suggests perhaps some lees contact. A powdery, textured mouthfeel takes over around middle palate and is akin to sucking a mouthful of gravel -- in a good way I might add, but with a delicate sweet rim. A gentle taper through the after palate ushers in a gently glowing, savoury finish.
Delicious wine that's drinking well now. I wonder where it might go?
It is a strange time to be talking about wine isn't it? I can't help but think of the Freudians battling over his theories and legacy in London whilst bombs reigned from overhead. I suppose all we can do is support others and hope for the best. Hope you are rested from your wine show trip. Will you be scoring wines and awarding medals now? :)
jeremy
I seriously doubt my capacity for scoring wines, especially in a show context. The judges' throughput was incredible. I'd want to linger too much over the nice ones. :)