Hill-Smith Estate Sauvignon Blanc

The Hill-Smith Estate Vineyard is a special site for Sauvignon Blanc. Situated high in the Eden Valley ( 510 metres above sea level ) where the nights are very cool, the vineyard is protected from the wind by the large area of natural vegetation surrounding the vineyard. The juice was feremented by "wild yeast" which are indigenous to the vineyard and naturally present on the grapes. Discrete parcels of fruit were picked in the cool of the night, and then crushed before allowing the wild yeast to do their work and the fermentation to begin. Selected parcels were fermented in new French oak Puncheons, some in old French Barriques and some in stainless steel. The combination of different fruit ripeness and flavour, oak treatment and wild yeast fermentation adds an extra dimension of complexity and finesse to the wine.

Hill-Smith Estate Sauvignon Blanc is very pale straw in colour. Intense aromas of citrus oil, lemon grass and lantana are overlaid with hints of freshly cut green herbs and passionfruit rind. the combination of wikld yeast fermentation in oak and lees contact work together a full flavoured and complex mid palate whilst still retaining the intrinsic zest and flavour of the vineyard. Flavours of pine-lime and citrus zest drive the palate to a persistent softly textured graprefruit pith finish.

Vintage : 2012

Region : Eden Valley

Oak Treatment :  Fermented & matures for 4 months in new (6%) & older (39%) French oak Barriques & Puncheons (45% of blend)

Harvested : February & March

alc/Vol: 13.0%

Total Acid : 6.2g/l

pH : 3.33