2021 Vasse Felix Sauvignon Blanc

A wonderfully complex, modern Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc expression. Fermented wild in large-format French oak with a portion of full skins contact, it is aromatic, savoury, textural and layered with a long, dry finish. The perfect aperitivo or accompaniment for rich seafood and poultry. COLOUR Deep straw with a green tinge. NOSE An enticing perfume reminiscent of pistachio ice cream. Complex floral, citrus, spice, and herbal tones intermingle with a delicate custard base. Though fitting comfortably within the preserved lemon and lavender spectrum, hints of savoury thyme and dry forest floor add intrigue. PALATE A luscious, yet soft body with delicate creamy texture, and light, drying tannins. The fresh entry carries slowly to a perfumed finish with hints of lavender and pistachio.

A new style of Sauvignon Blanc for Margaret River. We worked on making a more luscious, enjoyable style from
our best fruit using our own approach. Refined winemaking techniques, in particular a focus on wild fermentation, have better captured our version of a more delicious sense of place, highlighting the exciting complexities of the powerful, aromatic, and savoury elements of Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc. The portion of full skins fermentation is very clearly an influence at a higher percentage this year. This represents a further evolution of style, bringing a darker colour and deeper, riper-looking fruit implication, adding incredible texture and structure to the palate. The wine was allowed to develop in beautiful, mostly older, large format French oak for 11 months before blending, followed by a further 4 months to harmonise and refine before bottling. From a much cooler season, this is a fresher, more perfumed and elegant Sauvignon Blanc.

A year of peculiar weather where our commitment to organic viticulture was vital to the successful growth of quality, balanced fruit. A cool and wet spring prompted the need for
an intense leaf plucking program to mitigate disease risk. Luckily, December and January were warm and dry. Canopy management was a priority throughout February and March to combat unusually warm and moist conditions. A rainfall event in early February provided a timely drink for the red varietals, followed by warm weather which was ideal for the Chardonnay to achieve ripeness. A second rainfall incident in early March was followed by sunny and breezy conditions to dry off the fruit for healthy ripening. With our judicious canopy management and a crop of naturally resilient grapes, we are pleased to say that fantastic quality fruit was ripened and harvested with little-to-no disease in our vineyards.