It’s hard to imagine the Somerled wine list without our Sauvignon Blanc.

But as you know, that has been the reality for over 10 months now thanks to the Cuddlee Creek bushfires of December 2019.

Together we battled through as you embraced new favourites like the Fumé Blanc and Rob’s brand new LDR (Light Dry Red).

But for our true, die-hard fans I have some wonderful news for you…

Our 2021 Somerled Sauvignon Blanc will be back next week!

Yes, you heard it right… NEXT WEEK!!

Can’t wait another day? Pre-order a bottle or two today!

And here is what Rob has to say about it…

The new SAB looks terrific.

Lovely pale colour – most inviting! The nose really leaps out of the glass with very strong tropical fruit aromas, particularly guava.

The palate is fresh and lively with a very nice roundness to it. The acidity is wonderfully integrated and helps make the flavours so long…

Pretty pleased with it!!

It will be heading down the bottling line on Wednesday and then onto the Cellar Bar after that!

To keep you occupied until then, let’s have a little look at this crowd-pleasing variety…

Sauvignon Blanc 

Let’s get the trickiest bit out of the way first…

How to pronounce it!

Most Aussies like to say “sAv blanc”. Given its French origins though it should actually be pronounced “saw vee nyon blahnk”.

But don’t take my word for it… here’s a Frenchman pronouncing it beautifully!

History

Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned variety that originates from the Bordeaux region of France.

The grape most likely gets its name from the French words sauvage (“wild”) and blanc (“white”) due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France.

Regions

Sauvignon Blanc is a relatively early ripening variety that does well in cool but sunny regions. This ensures a well-defined acid profile and fruit vibrancy. Without sounding biased, the Adelaide Hills does it best! Our sauvignon Blancs are usually crisp and fruity.
 
Other Australian regions famous for Sauvignon Blanc are Orange with its fruity and herbaceous examples and Western Australia’s Margaret River and Pemberton regions for ripe and zippy styles with tropical characteristics.

Taste

The Sauvignon Blanc taste is one of the most identifiable in the world of white wines for a few reasons.

First, it always has crisp, high acidity.

Second, it has a chemical compound called pyrazine which gives grassy, herbal or capsicum flavours.

When grown in cooler climates or picked early, the herbaceous green character is most prominent. In warmer climates or allowed to hang longer on the vine, the pyrazine character diminishes in favor of riper fruit flavors ranging from grapefruit, to passion fruit and guava.

Food

Sauvignon blanc pairs well with fish, oysters or cheese, particularly chèvre. It is also known as one of the few wines that can pair well with sushi!

Other fun facts

• Along with Riesling, Sauvignon blanc was one of the first fine wines to be bottled with a screwcap in commercial quantities.
• Sauvignon Blanc should be consumed young, as it does not benefit from aging (unless made in the Fumé style). With time, they tend to develop vegetal aromas reminiscent of peas and asparagus. 
• The first Friday in May is International Sauvignon Blanc Day!

BUT… I suggest we change that this year to the third Friday in May this year to celebrate the release of our 2021 Sauvignon Blanc!