In common with much of rural Australia the grapegrowing regions of Western Australia in the spring of late 2004 were in an extremely dry condition having come off a very poor winter. Dams were low and the soils were generally poorly hydrated. The weather at budburst was good with generally favourable early growth conditions. Mindful of the dry winter we were very focused on monitoring soil water profiles and on making sure that the crop loads were moderate to low thus reducing the work load on the vines and ensuring high quality fruit production.
The early part of the season during late spring and early summer was mild, ideal for the aromatic varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc. Cool conditions aid the development and retention of the distinctive aroma and flavour characters of Sauvignon Blanc, it is years like 2005 in which the best examples of this variety are made.
This wine was made from grapes sourced from two very small vineyards situated in the southern most parts of the state from the coolest meso-climates available producing truly distinctive, piercingly varietal Sauvignon Blanc. Only the fine free-run juice was used to highlight these purest varietal expressions. The wine is unwooded, with fermentation occurring in stainless steel tanks. A low temperature, protective regime was adopted during its production, thereby preserving the more delicate fruit characters of this aromatic variety.
