Forget-me-not Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2011
Tasting Notes
Freshly cut grass and a hint of citrus on the nose is followed with a lovely mid-weight palate which is super fresh and framed by those soft lemony characters which come from the Semillon. Forget-me-not is perfect when served chilled as an aperitif, but very versatile when matched with a range of different food. Try it with stir fries, lighter creamy cheeses or even dessert.
Vintage
We had good winter rains after a few seasons of below average rainfall. This was a late season: budburst was approximately 2-3 weeks late, and harvest started similarly behind our standard season (we usually start picking Chardonnay in early/ mid February). This year we picked whites in late February/ early March. Unseasonal rains in March threw a spanner in the works somewhat, but luck and good management helped us dodge most of the bullets. Overall this was a very long vintage with moderate yields which tested Joch’s nerves a little more than usual.
Winemaking
As brutish as Joch looks in his photos, he is a gentle winemaker, which is exactly what this style of wine requires. A deft, light hand in the winery helps us retain the delicate aromas of these varieties. Both Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc were reductively handled, which means we protected the grapes from air to help capture their fine aromatics and ensure the flavours reached the bottle intact. Cool, temperature controlled fermentation also help in this endeavour.
Neither variety spent any time in oak. Semillon was picked very slightly riper than the Sauvignon Blanc, which was picked at a lean 11 degrees Beaume, in order to retain its natural acidity and the wonderful grassy notes of this variety. Simple stuff then, really, but utterly essential for this style of wine. The blend is 52% Sauvignon Blanc and 48% Semillon.
Other Vintages
Technical Details
Picking Date: SB 2nd and 3rd January 2012, Semillon 6th February 2012
pH: 3.24
Total Acidity: 5.78 g/L
Alc/Vol: 12.0%
Bottling Date: 18th October 2011