Shaw + Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Product Information: The low yields from 2024 meant the vines put their energy into a smaller crop, giving intense flavours with striking natural acidity. There is concentration and texture on the mid-palate with flavours of Tahitian lime, florals and a touch of nettle. Fresh, bright and expressive. Showcasing the carefully selected sites and hand harvesting during the small window of perfect ripeness. The fruit comes from Shaw + Smith’s estate vineyards at Balhannah and Lenswood, complemented by fruit from a small number of highly valued growers. In the cellar grapes are carefully pressed and fermented at cool temperatures to lock in the aromatics, and protected from oxygen throughout. A little time in tank on yeast lees followed, helping to build palate texture and complexity. The 2024 is the 35th vintage that Shaw + Smith has made. It has become known as a benchmark for Adelaide Hills, and Australian, Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is as an great aperitif or serve with seafood. Ideal temperature is 6-8°C. Best drunk within 18 months of bottling. Maker: Shaw + Smith was established in 1989 by cousins Michael Hill Smith MW and Martin Shaw. They focus on varieties that suit the cooler Hills climate: Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. Shaw + Smith own three vineyards, in Lenswood, Piccadilly and Balhannah. The grow the best possible grapes for their sites, managing vineyards sustainably, and valuing vine health, soil health, and low yields are central to their approach. In the pursuit of quality the wines are fermented, aged and bottled on site at Balhannah allowing more control over each step of the process. Their hands-on approach allows them to capture the vibrant and modern expressions of their varieties, sites, and the season. Shaw + Smith’s first vintage was in 1990 and in 1999 they purchased a property at Balhannah, where they planted vines, and built the winery and tasting room in time for the 2000 vintage. This allowed them to not only plant vines but also build a state-of-the-art winery and tasting room, which was completed just in time for the 2000 vintage. This expansion marked a turning point for the winery, solidifying their presence in the Adelaide Hills and setting the stage for future success. To ensure their success Michael and Martin built a formidable team behind them – including Master of Wine and Joint CEO David LeMire, Senior Winemaker and Joint CEO Adam Wadewitz, CFO Grant Lovelock and Group Viticulturist Murray Leake. Vineyard: At the heart of Shaw + Smith’s winemaking philosophy is their commitment to owning and carefully managing three distinct vineyards in the Adelaide Hills. Located in Balhannah, Lenswood, and Piccadilly Valley, these vineyards cover a total of 60 hectares. Shaw + Smith is a member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia. The team firmly believes that the key to producing the highest quality grapes lies in cultivating healthy vines in healthy soils. Currently the vineyards at Balhannah and Lenswood have both gained organic certification, in 2020 and 2021 respectively. 2024 had cool and wet conditions during flowering interrupted berry set, resulting in smaller, lighter bunches for early budding varieties like Sauvignon Blanc. The remainder of the season was mostly mild and dry, with a few well-timed rain events supporting vine growth and health. The result was low yields, high acidity and great flavour. From their estate vineyards at Balhannah and Lenswood, complemented by fruit from a small number of highly valued growers. Nose – Lily Blossom, Tahitian Lime, Nettle Beautiful fragrance. Wonderful lemon and lime with lily blossoms, Tahitian lime crunch and a hint of nettle. Palate – Intense, Lemon Juice, Fresh/Dry Herbs There is concentration and texture on the mid-palate with flavours. Lemon juice and herbs both fresh and dried. Finish – Clean, Dry, Long Fresh, bright and expressive. Finishes clean, dry and long, with balanced but refreshing acidity. This Shaw & Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2024 is very fresh, which is unsurprising given it was grapes just a few months ago, but not angular. It’s more grassy than tropical, with a bit of black texta and pyrazine early picked/unripe fruit character, but also plenty of passionfruit and cut melon. You have to dig beyond the just-bottled banana esters to get a complete view, but importantly, the acidity isn’t unripe; it’s just fresh. The intensity