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Bannockburn’s Sauvignon Blanc has to be one of Australia’s most complex examples of this variety. For the last few years, winemaker Matt Holmes has been tweaking the style, capturing more freshness and site expression. From 2021, the work in the cellar has been pared back, allowing the old vines and the limestone soils to play a starring role. The fruit was drawn primarily from the original Sauvignon Blanc plantings (1996) at the property's eastern edge on a block adjacent to the Serré Pinot Noir vines. The remaining fruit was grown on another small block on the east side of the dam. Both blocks are in the organic-certified section of the property.
Bannockburn’s last release (2019) was made using a combination of skin contact, barrel fermentation and extended time on lees. In contrast, a portion of the fruit from 2021 was crushed and left on skins for a short period before pressing, while the remainder was whole bunch-pressed directly to tank for fermentation. The wine was then racked without lees to seasoned French barrels for nine months’ maturation. It’s the best of both worlds: fresh and zingy with phenolic chew, chalky drive and delicious savoury complexity. Bannockburn meets Saint-Bris!