Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Our unique site, old vines, and organic farming all contribute to a characterful expression of Sauvignon Blanc which nods to the old world for inspiration and the dining table for enjoyment.

Viticulture
Winemaking
Tasting Note
Reviews

Bannockburn Sauvignon Blanc is made from 1 acre of vineyard made up of two small parcels, both planted in 1996 and certified organic in 2021. The clone is F4V6 and the vine spacing is 1.5m. The soil is made up of mixed clay over limestone.

Handpicked fruit was whole bunch pressed, settled over night, and racked to tank for temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel. After fermentation the wine was racked to a combination of stainless steel and old barrels for a 3-month maturation on lees prior to bottling.

The 2023 Sauvignon Blanc offers an exotic and fruit forward nose of passionfruit and stone fruit, with lingering herbaceous and wet stone notes. The palate is ripe, rich, and well balanced, with the concentration and depth of flavour balanced by taut acidity, tension and length.

Print Spec Sheet

Estate

$35 Sold out

$75

$75

$45 Sold out

$45

2023 Vintage

The 2023 growing season started off cold and wet. For the first time since 2011 our dam was full, and in fact overflowed for most of October and November (rainfall for the calendar year of 2022 was 800mm). Budburst was slightly behind average timing, but crops were down significantly: the bunch counts were low in the first place, we had a mild frost in September and the wet weather finally caught up with us via downy mildew. The rain stopped at the end of December.

The overall heat accumulation was the same (1338 Growing Degree Days) as 2021, both seasons on the slightly cooler side of average but differing in that the heat for 2023 was more toward the second half of the season. Veraison occurred in February and then we picked Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling in March, and Shiraz and Cabernet/Merlot in the first week of April. The picking weather was pleasant and the fruit arrived at the winery in very good condition.

While quantity was down (especially in Pinot Noir) quality was good: fresh acidity, concentration, colour, tannin and steady fermentations have us looking forward to bottling, and seemingly warmer and drier seasons as El Niño returns.

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