Zonte’s Footstep, Forester Estate and Willow Bridge take on New Zealand with classy Australian sauvignon blanc
Our Kiwi cousins may have entranced us with Marlborough savvie for years but now they have competition.
After summer on the beach, we’re back at the tasting table. I know, it’s not exactly hard work but we take our mission seriously: bringing high-quality wines to your door at excellent prices.
At The Australian Wine Club, our job is to hunt relentlessly to source wines that deliver outstanding value – whether it be a sub-$20 picnic white or a $100 special-occasion red.
In 2022, as always, we will dare you to try varietals and new styles you may not have tasted before – and introduce you to the people who have made this magical thing called wine their life’s obsession.
In our first column of the year, we’re talking with one of McLaren Vale’s bigger personalities, Zonte’s Footstep vigneron Brad Rey, about that ultimate summer varietal, sauvignon blanc.
We have a cracking array of Australian-made beauties lined up for you: from super fresh straight savvies to thirst-quenching sauvignon blanc-semillon blends and even an oaked “fume blanc”.
I grew up in the days when Western Australia was our national champion of sauvignon blanc, often blending the grape with semillon into a citrusy Bordeaux-inspired dry white.
But it was New Zealand’s Marlborough region that fired up Australia’s love affair with savvie in the 2000s, bringing wines bursting with grassy aromas and tropical flavours to our shores by the boatload.
Since then, Australian wineries have joined the so-called “sauv-alanche”, with regions such as Adelaide Hills and Orange joining WA as leading growers of premium sauvignon blanc.
Brad, who helped found Zonte’s almost 20 years ago after cutting his teeth at Wirra Wirra and Coriole, creates Zonte’s Excalibur SB in the cool-climate Adelaide Hills, picking fruit at three different times each harvest.
He’s let us in on his tradecraft by explaining how the first pick is geared towards selecting a very small volume of grapes when they are higher in acid to give the finished blend a clean zippiness. Flavours in these grapes can also mimic subtle oyster-shell, minerally characters.
The second batch – which makes up 80 to 85 per cent of the finished blend – delivers the fresh white flower aromas and citrusy grapefruit and lemon curd flavours highly sought after in Adelaide Hills savvies.
The final batch is picked up to a week later as the fruit ripens further, adding a tropical fruit spectrum to the finished wine.
“I want freshness and persistence, with a really clean finish,’’ Brad says. “The wine should be cleansing, so your palate is ready for that beautiful seafood that goes so well with these wines. And there’s less than two grams of residual sugar in these wines – we’re talking bone-ass dry.’’
All of Zonte’s wines are also vegan-friendly.
Zonte’s Footstep Excalibur Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2021
An Adelaide Hills beauty: jasmine blossom and citrus aromas give way to gold-medal-winning flavours of grapefruit zest and lemon curd notes with hints of passionfruit and gooseberry. Mineral acidity and a super clean finish. The complete package. Alc 12.5% RRP $25 a bottle
SPECIAL $19.99 in any dozen; $16.99 in savvie dozen
Forester Estate Margaret River Lifestyle Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2020
White Bordeaux blend, with the semillon (51%) bringing weight and a lovely lanolin edge to a full spectrum of tropical flavours: think pineapples, lychees and passionfruit. You can taste the quality in this Margaret River classic. Alc 13% RRP $27 a bottle
SPECIAL $16.49 in any dozen; $16.99 in savvie dozen
Miles From Nowhere Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2020
This double gold medal winner is made for summer: aromas of freshly cut grass, crushed limes and lemons introduce a tropical salad of passionfruit, pineapple, pawpaw and honeydew melon. Drink super cold after backyard cricket. Alc 12.8% RRP $21 a bottle
SPECIAL $13.99 in any dozen; $16.99 in savvie dozen
Willow Bridge Dragonfly Geographe Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2021
Pure and intense, with ripe fruit flavours balanced with a refreshing zing of acidity. Flavours of kiwifruit and pomegranate mingle among passionfruit and lime characters. Brilliant value. Alc 13.7% RRP $22 a bottle
SPECIAL $15.99 in any dozen; $16.99 in savvie dozen
Fox Creek McLaren Vale Sauvignon Blanc 2020
This single-vineyard savvie jumps from the glass with a grassy, herbaceous tangle of aromas. Hints of nectarine, pear, apple and lime mingle with tropical flavours. Nice acid zing. 12.8% alc RRP $23 a bottle
SPECIAL $20.99 in any dozen; $16.99 in savvie dozen
Brackenwood Vineyard Adelaide Hills Fume Blanc 2018
The full sauvignon blanc experience demands a fume blanc. Californian wine legend Robert Mondavi popularised this oaked style in the 1960s, and Adelaide Hills boutique producer Damon Nagel has developed his own cult following. The spun-gold hue catches the eye; aromas of hazelnut and grapefruit hint at the rich flavours on offer. I couldn’t help but think of key lime pie, with just a taste of honeycomb on the side. Seriously enjoyable.
Alc 12.9% RRP $30 a bottle
SPECIAL $19.99 in any dozen; $16.99 in savvie dozen
SAVVIE DOZEN DEAL Two bottles of each wine for $16.99 a bottle
Order online or telephone 1300 765 359 Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm AEST. Deals only available while stocks last. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaites Wine People.
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