2016 Wallcliffe Sauvignon Blanc Semillon
“Perfectly in line with the essence of Cape Mentelle and its history, Wallcliffe is a journey more than a destination.”
The Wallcliffe Sauvignon Blanc Semillon is a timeless classic blend produced from our Wallcliffe vineyard established in 1970. In Margaret River, both varieties find a rare and complementary expression: while the sauvignon is intensely fruity but also focused and mineral, the semillon is generous and textural. The winemaking approach relies on the selection of our most exceptional fruit and is mostly hands-off to showcase the terroir and the vintage expression, light-handedly supported by our most respectful choice of French oak.
Nose
The aromatic profile is powerful displaying fresh green apple with custard tart, fromage blanc and a touch of smoke. The sauvignon blanc brings lemon sorbet with lifted botanical aromatics of juniper, cassis bud and buddha hand citrus, complementing the pepperiness and meyer lemon notes of the semillon. The finely integrated oak shows gunsmoke with hints of vanilla bean giving a caramel cream finish
Palate
The palate bursts forth with lemon sherbet, flint and mineral elements reminiscent of sharpened steel and gunsmoke. There is good weight, roundness and richness with an elegant acid backbone filled out by baked brie drizzled in lime juice. The finish fans out with elements of cucumber water and botanical notes of juniper and preserved meyer lemon to give a great elegant persistence
Blend
Sauvignon Blanc 54%, Semillon 46%
Cellaring
Ready for enjoyment in its youth, this wine can also be cellared for 10 years and beyond
Food Pairing Notes
We suggest highlighting the savoury complexity of this wine by matching it to whole baked snapper topped with fresh basil and tomato, a quiche of fresh leeks and gruyere cheese, or raclette with smoked charcuterie
The Vineyard
Our best blocks of sauvignon blanc and semillon are planted on free draining lateritic gravel with a layer of clay appearing at variable depths. The parcels are spur and cane pruned to strict vertical shoot positioning. The sauvignon berries are lightly shaded by the canopy to retain all its freshness while the semillon is allowed more sun exposure to develop its ripe lemon aromas and distinguished texture
The Season
Winter provided average rainfall (958mm) and spring delivered beautiful warm, dry conditions, perfectly setting up vintage 2016. A warm start to summer in January gave good fruit set and crop predictions. An unseasonal single rain event in late January delivered adequate soil moisture for full maturity especially for the dry grown 1970 plantings this wine hails from. This resulted in immaculate fruit with both plushness and elegance
Winemaking
This wine starts with a selection of the best parcels of fruit in the vineyard, the 2016 carefully machine harvested at night to best preserve the fruit freshness. The berries were lightly macerated then gently pressed, fermented in a combination of French oak barrels (20% new oak) and stainless steel barrels . The wine was aged unsulfured and untouched on lees (fermentation solids) for eleven months with no stirring or racking. A selection of the best barrels were blended just prior to bottling to make the wine which is most indicative of the season and the vineyard
Analysis
13% alcohol, 7.0 g/l total acidity, 3.18 pH
Wine Companion
A really good wine that was (and remains) a trail blazer for long-lived SBS in the style of white Bordeaux. Barrel fermentation is an important part of the wine's style - when done well you get a wine such as this.
