TAYLORS JARAMAN SAUVIGNON BLANC 2011

- Margaret River, WA/Adelaide Hills, SA

- $18-$27

- Screwcap

- 13.0%alc

Blending 46% Adelaide Hills sauvignon blanc with 54% from the Margaret River, Taylors' 2011 Jaraman combines fruit from an area well known for sav blanc with that from an area well known for its sem/sav blanc. I often wonder if bi-regional wines like this would be more likely to gain the interest of fans of both wine styles, or lose the interest of both? It's stretching the boundaries of relevance, but would a collaboration between André Rieu and Snoop Dogg appeal to fans of both the waltz and hip hop?

Intensely grassy and vegetal and altogether reflecting the stronger hand of its Margaret River component, this 2011 savvy also reveals softer scents of poached pears and passionfruit, as it unloads a fragrance with enough intensity to cut through the open-air odours of summertime outdoor drinking. Nothing if not predictable, its pungently varietal palate presents tastes of passionfruit and lychee immersed in sweat, before finishing in a suitably clean yet uninspiring manner that typically (in a commercial sauvignon blanc sense) lacks great shape and structure, although it does culminate with nice notes of lemon rind and kiwi fruit.

O Clean and varietal yet entirely predictable. I would say this is one for sauvignon blanc devotees but at $24.95 RRP, there are innumerous cheaper options available. Drink to 2012.

88 points

www.taylorswines.com.au

WATSON FAMILY VINEYARDS SAUVIGNON BLANC SEMILLON 2011

- Margaret River, WA

- $12-$16

- Screwcap

- 13.0%alc

The Watson Family Vineyards SBS is a collaborative wine project, born out of a desire to contradict popular opinion of sauvignon blanc.

Faintly nutty and green pea-like, with a restrained fruit scent of lemon citrus and some smoky elements, this Margaret River SBS draws a straight line down what I'd expect from the style, but it does it with good intensity, clarity and definition, all of which I expect from the style anyway. Its palate really holds back on sauvignon blanc's pungent, fruity aspects, instead opting towards a more funky, savoury, mineral and brine-like rendition of passionfruit flavour, with a viscous feel marked by a certain looseness and a subtle tartness, the latter of which lingers softly through its aftertaste of kiwifruit and brine. For all its pleasing funk, it just lacks the tightness, shape and driving acidity of the Margaret River's best, but it's definitely one of the more interesting Australian interpretations of the blend available for under $15.

ü If you're the type of person who never spends more than $15 on your beloved sauvignon blanc, you might find interest in this textured, funky wine. Whether or not you'll prefer it to your favourite cheap and cheerful Kiwi savvy is another thing. It might actually be better suited to the serious drinker on a budget (looking for an SBS?), rather than the quaffer looking for something different. A middle ground for now. Drink to 2012.

89 points

www.watsonfamilyvineyards.com

DOMAINE A LADY A 2008

- Coal River Valley, TAS

- $58-$65

- Cork

- 14.0%alc

If there's one Australian sauvignon blanc that makes the rest of the field look rather modest by comparison, then it's Domaine A's Lady A. Check 3 months battonage, around 12 months new French oak and already 3 years age for this current release, as well as a cork closure, a $60 retail tag and a potential cellaring life of 8-10 years according to the back label. Sounds like an Australian savvy with more ambition than Ayrton Senna in a go-kart? You bet!

I can't recall the last time I pulled a cork from an Australian sauvignon blanc but more importantly, I can't recall the last time I stuck my nose into such a wonderfully unique interpretation of the style. Riddled with a bright, intoxicating fragrance of sour-cream, gherkin relish (I did compare and yes, the relish is 26.9g sugar per 100g), limey minerals, fresh green grapes and granny smith apples, the 2008 Lady A's funk and complexity are without peer in this country, yet its composition is delivered with a strange balance and floral lift. The clarity and vibrancy of its palate are superb, as those idiosyncratic sour-cream and gherkin notes return to contribute taste to a creamy undercarriage, which underlines its vivid announcement of mineral-sparked green apples and kiwi fruit. The complexity achieved by marrying these contrasting characters is outstanding, as is the way its textural drive lasts well into the finish, with lingering white cheese/leesy notes matched well by an accompaniment of refreshing, minerally acids.

ü Mmmm. . . so hard to pin down such an ethereal wine. If you wanna know what $60 Australian sauvignon blanc does and perhaps should taste like, then invest your money here. The wise among us might even sit one aside for a couple of years. Definitively, the Lady A is about as close to the stereotype of a typical Australian savvy as Tasmania is to Pluto. Drink to 2016.

94 points

www.domaine-a.com.au

JACOB'S CREEK RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2008

- South Australia

- $12-$21

- Screwcap

- 13.5%alc

Just taking an unusual look at two very different 2008 sauvignon blancs at the moment. One is your readily available, typical consumer style, exactly the type of wine experts tell us not to age. As for the other, well, we're just gonna have to wait till tomorrow for that...

Ooh, there's quite an interesting nose here. Jacob's Creek's 2008 Reserve is scented with limey/toasty notes (maybe an initial hint of kero as well?), not too dissimilar to a developing riesling, but happily, it still rises out of the glass with certain degrees of clarity and brightness, if not outstanding lift. Unfortunately, it all becomes less distinctive with time. Its palate looks a bit flat, lacking varietal intensity and definition more than anything else, which leaves its one-dimensional lime juice notes to be characterised by an all too simple expression of texture, flavour and structure. Having said that, its limey focus actually proves quite drinkable, surprisingly settled and completely inoffensive, in an ignore the wine and just talk to your mates kind of way.

O Ultimately simple in the mouth, yet not too bad really. I can see where this has fallen down, but I can also see it's disappearing down the back of my throat. I still wouldn't hang on to wines of this ilk though. Drink now.

86 points

www.jacobscreek.com

SHAW AND SMITH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2011

- Adelaide Hills, SA

- $20-$30

- Screwcap

- 12.5%alc

Like many others from South Australia, Shaw and Smith suffered an ultimately challenging 2011 vintage, battling through a cold, wet season where the line between genuine ripeness and botrytis affected grapes became a little too close for comfort. Chardonnay was hit bad and the shiraz wasn't quite up to Shaw and Smith standards, but in their own words, sauvignon blanc was the most successful variety.

Practically water clear in appearance, Shaw and Smith's 2011 displays a nose so cleanly restrained in its mineral accented tones of gooseberry, green apples and lemon zest, that it's almost icy. Smooth and easy to drink, its juicy palate is absolutely spotless and perhaps a shade concentrated, with undertones of gooseberry imparting taste to what is essentially an all-too-clean expression of varietal flavour. Barely graced by notes of citrus and kiwi fruit, its finish is soft, clean and smooth, but it lacks the briskness, backbone and definition of Shaw and Smith's best. It's a straight forward wine that asks as many questions as it answers. Is it mineral, refined and pure, or is it lacking flavour? Either way, it's a fair result given the circumstances and there's still plenty of easy drinking fun to be had here.

O Clean, clean, clean. Too clean even. It's like the preppy cousin whose hair you wanna mess up a bit. Sure, it's a stellar example of how a quaffing wine should drink, but I honestly expect more than that from Shaw and Smith. Maybe I'll revisit it in 6 months... Drink to 2012.

89 points

www.shawandsmith.com

WIRRA WIRRA HIDING CHAMPION SAUVIGNON BLANC 2011

- Adelaide Hills, SA

- $17-$23

- Screwcap

- 13.0%alc

Wirra Wirra's well hung approach to making affordable, ripe and meaty McLaren Vale reds has made them popular across Australia, but personally, I've found more freshness and balance in some of their recent outings with affordable Adelaide Hills whites. The 12th Man Chardonnay in particular, has provided a few pleasant surprises for me on recent trips to Wirra Wirra's cellar door.

Residing at the more pungent, rounded and openly aromatic end of Adelaide Hills sauvignon blanc, the 2011 Hiding Champion lays out sweetly fruited aromas of gooseberries, passionfruit and bananas smoothed over by cream. It's nothing overly special or unexpected but it's clean and expressive. The palate moves along a pleasingly rich thread of creamy texture, unleashing clean flavours of banana custard and crisp green apples, the latter of which merges neatly into its acid structure. Indeed it's quite round and juicy, without the exceptional tightness or focus of top end savvys, but its balancing acidity is refreshingly brisk and tangy enough to place this squarely in the realms of a very consumer friendly wine, which might just please a few others...

ü The creamy feel (balanced by acidity) is the real highlight for me here. That factor alone moves the Hiding Champion away from many of the lean, texturally uninspiring savvys clogging up the marketplace. It's an easy drinking - smash down with seafood - summertime special. Drink to 2012.

90 points

www.wirrawirra.com

BROWN BROTHERS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010

- King Valley, VIC

- $13-$20

- Screwcap

- 12.5%alc

Victoria's King Valley isn't the first region to come to mind when thinking of Australian sauvignon blanc, but really, the pairing makes sense. It makes even more sense when the maker is the ever reliable Brown Brothers and the price is $15.

Brown Brothers' 2010 presents an uncomplicated yet clean fragrance of straight forward varietal character. Its aromas of nettle and grass make the loudest statement, while zesty lemon citrus and pear fruits complete a nose of cool-climate restraint, that steers away from the variety's pungent aromatics. Unfortunately, the zesty palate's slightly broad and its components don't gel as well as I'd like, leading to a general feeling of poor definition, particularly flavour-wise. There are finishing tastes of citrus and ripe kiwi fruits that provide some satisfaction, but still, I don't see the necessary shape, structure or direction to see this savvy rise from the pack. It's all a bit too generic really.

O There's nothing excruciatingly wrong or right about Brown Brothers' 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, so it's just another middle of the road savvy, lost in a very crowded marketplace. Drink now.

87 points

www.brownbrothers.com.au

DEVIL'S CORNER SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010

- Tasmania

- $12-$20

- Screwcap

- 13.0%alc

The second label of Tamar Ridge, Devil's Corner, would have to be one of the cheapest ranges of Tasmanian wine around. The consumer friendly sauvignon blanc is one wine in the Devil's Corner collection capable of over delivering, as proven by the refreshingly herbal and zesty 2008 (90pts).

Quite pungent and openly aromatic, the 2010 Devil's Corner is no shy savvy. It's loaded with with a strong, vegetative fragrance of freshly cut herbs/grass, capsicum and pea that may verge on cat pee-like, while aromas of rockmelon and spiced apple provide a welcomed base of clean fruit. There's a fair lick of length to the palate, which pushes through its lemon infused melon and apple flavours with agreeable thrust, cleanliness and an undertone of cut grass that persists throughout, but the wine lacks anything texturally or structurally exciting, so it's hardly an unwooded sauvignon blanc of rare pedigree. Having said that, it is fresh, well driven, intensely varietal and easy to drink in a simplistic fashion, so it should impress within the right circles. The price is right too.

O The 2010 Devil's Corner makes a wonderful alternative to addicts of Kiwi sauvignon blanc, but not too much more than that. A pub drinker's special. Not bad. Drink now.

89 points

www.tamarridge.com.au

FRASER GALLOP SEMILLON SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010

- Margaret River, WA

- $17-$24

- Screwcap (Stelvin-Lux)

- 13.0%alc

Whether the Margaret River is capable of first rate semillon or sauvignon blanc you can decide (I think so, Leeuwin Estate's Art Series Sauvignon Blanc and Vasse Felix Semillon being key examples), but there's no denying the region's suitability to blends of the two, particularly when a lick of barrel induced complexity comes into the picture.

Fraser Gallop's 2010 SSB shows a keenly balanced arrangement of fruit and winemaking on the nose, by shooting up a direct, piercing fragrance of smoky green peas, capsicum and guava underlined by a clean hint of lemon butter. The aroma really permeates, in a fashion that gives a polite nod to its maker. Palate wise, it's quite long, clean and fractionally round through the middle section, but it comes together tidily on the finish, as its creamy oak/texture driven flavours of lemon and green pea are drawn into line by a fast movement of slick acids, which push the wine along a multitude of chiselled lanes, before finally leaving the mouth with a regrouping of its initial green characters and faint, lingering smoky vanilla oak.

ü For its price, Fraser Gallop's 2010 SSB appears cleverly constructed, with regional elements of semillon and sauvignon blanc, plus barrel ferment notes all raising their heads at one point or another, without anyone trying to steal the show. Good drinking. Drink to 2013.

90 points

www.frasergallopestate.com.au

CAPE MENTELLE SAUVIGNON BLANC SEMILLON 2010

- Margaret River, WA

- $18-$29

- Screwcap

- 13.0%alc

Okay, it seems everyone's had their say on Cape Mentelle's new labels, so here's my two cents worth; I liked the old labels. I always liked the old labels, but the new labels, which can look surprisingly sophisticated in person, are starting to grow on me. That's it. Now onto the wine.

Cape Mentelle's 2010 SBS (54/46) immediately unloads a strong aroma loaded with ample character and definition, but its most pleasing attribute may be a vivid sense of distinct regionality. Its pungent scents of green pea, guava and lemon/lime citrus rise from the glass in expressive fashion, while funked-up hints of sweat and light, airy smoke string the nose together to form a fragrance with as much character as any Cape Mentelle SBS I can recall. A well controlled punch of juicy fruit announces the palate, which moves forward with a wonderfully smooth, even flow of sweaty tropical fruit flavour that is just so devilishly Western Australian. The sweaty, more savoury aspects push on with touches of smoky and mineral complexity, carrying the wine to a cleansing, classically brisk finish helped along by a balancing framework of lively acids.

ü+ For me, Cape Mentelle's 2010 is right on the style button. It beautifully expresses elements of sauvignon blanc, semillon and desirable barrel ferment notes (15%) in a harmonised, truly regional and character laden manner. Well worth the twenty. Drink to 2013.

92 points

www.capementelle.com.au

PARACOMBE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010

- Adelaide Hills, SA

- $16-$24

- Screwcap

- 13.0%alc

Having become something of a guilty pleasure of mine, the deliciously fruity Paracombe is one Adelaide Hills sauvignon blanc I'm always happy to recommend. In its two previous incarnations (2008-91pts, 2009-92pts) I picked up gloriously tropical scents of banana and passionfruit, two notes which just seem so right to me for this style of wine.

Sitting right on the style cue for Paracombe, the 2010 unashamedly flaunts a fragrance of passionfruit and light grass with a dollop of banana custard for softness and a zap of mineral infused citrus to cut and refine. It's far from complex or savoury but the aromatic balance works. Its palate is hallmarked by great length (for the style), creamy texture and a zingy, citric, faintly bitter-edged and chalky acid structure which is much more assertive and defined than most from the Hills. These features combine to drive its bright, smoothly textured and pure tropical fruit/gooseberry flavours into a long, more citrus infused climax overrun by a fine combination of refreshing softness and tight acids.

ü+ Yet again Paracombe's Sauvignon Blanc has me singing its praises. There's nothing otherworldly or unexpected here, but as I said before, it's right on the money for a consumer friendly Adelaide Hills sauvignon blanc. Drink to 2012.

91 points

www.paracombewines.com

ALTA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010

- Adelaide Hills, SA

- $12-$23

- Screwcap (Stelvin-Lux)

- 12.5%alc

Maybe it's just me, but it seems Alta's Sauvignon Blanc has seen a steady rise in prominence since its initial 2005 release. This pleases me for two reasons; firstly, I think it's one of the Adelaide Hills' better (restrained) sauvignon blancs, and secondly, its competitive pricing (often reduced to under $15) sits in the exact range I usually have in mind when buying a wine of its type.

A clear fragrance of apples and limey minerals immediately clarify the refined edges of Alta's 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, aided by supporting notes of lychees and tropical fruit that do become fractionally more pronounced as the wine sits in the glass. In the mouth there's a real purity of leaner sauvignon blanc fruit evident, which amalgamates with a very crisp finish to produce a refreshing and summer-food friendly white. Beyond that initial assessment lies an effortless, natural flow of crisp green apple and citrus flavour, culminating with slightly crunchy, almost bitter-edged acids not too unlike that of the forbidden fruit itself.

ü Savvy fashionistas may want a bit more tropical fruit nuance here, but Alta's moderately fruited, ably structured sauvignon blanc has ticked the right boxes and missed all the wrong ones for me, especially for $13. Drink to 2012.

89 points

www.altavineyards.com.au

MITCHELL HARRIS SAUVIGNON BLANC FUMÉ 2010

- Pyrenees, VIC

- $20

- Screwcap

- 12.5%alc

Thanks to its textural interest and savoury/smoky complexity, I've developed something of a soft spot for wooded sauvignon blanc. When (or if) Australia's infatuation with fresh and fruity Kiwi savvy passes, I'm hoping to see a greater number of our producers follow this rather more sophisticated approach to the style.

For a sauvignon blanc which spent around 6 months in oak the 2010 Mitchell Harris is surprisingly fresh, fruity and primary; blowing off cleanly endowed scents of limes, kiwifruit, white flower and passionfruit with an oak influence that introduces smoothness and restraint more so than smoky or savoury complexity. The palate is neat, tidy and wonderfully formed, with an ably constrained fruit core that builds with flavour intensity towards the back palate alongside a charmed greeting of dry, smoky wood that wasn't so evident on the nose. There's hints of gooseberries, minerals, creamy feel and flavour; and the whole package is beautifully wrapped up by a mouthfilling, limey acidity levelled out by a persisting brininess.

ü+ A very classy sauvignon blanc which echoes clever production with every sip. Full marks to Mitchell Harris for being a small winery willing to champion the fumé style over the more 'standard' model, and of course, full marks for executing it to great effect. Drink 2011-2014.

91 points

www.mitchellharris.com.au

GROSSET SEMILLON SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010

- Clare Valley/Adelaide Hills, SA

- $25-$36

- Screwcap

- 12.5%alc

When everything falls into place for Jeffrey Grosset, there's practically no other South Australian sem/sav to compare with his blend of Clare Valley semillon and Adelaide Hills sauvignon blanc. Although the last two releases weren't quite on the money for me (2008-89pts and 2009-89pts), the 2007 (92pts) was right on the mark.

The delicately scented nose of Grosset's 2010 shows some distinct young semillon character upfront; nettles, lemon/citrus and maybe some straw initially, with a more subdued influence of sauvignon blanc cut grass and tinned fruit tip-toeing throughout its bouquet to create a convincing balance of the two varieties, which should work for the anti-savvy crowd. Likewise, its crystal-clear palate reveals a proud semillon component that speaks slightly above its sauvignon blanc, as its savvy imprint is expressed more through a faintly juicy, slip 'n' slide mouthfeel, as opposed to pungent tropical fruit flavour. Its flavour profile resembles lemon curd, mineral, tinned lychees and pineapple, but flavour expression is hardly its high point. To finish off, Grosset's classy acidity springs forth with shape, thrust and genuine zip to punctuate, highlight and refresh the palate.

O If I'm right it's been roughly 20 years since Grosset released a straight semillon. Now I'm no hater of savvy styles, because I find Grosset's 2010 Sem/Sav to be a good, clean, flow down like water off a duck's back kind of wine, but after having sampled delightful, oaked Clare Valley semillons from the likes of Mitchell, Tim Adams and Mount Horrocks across the last few years, my desire to see Grosset join (or top) their ranks only grows. Drink to 2013.

90 points

www.grosset.com

SHAW AND SMITH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010

- Adelaide Hills, SA

- $20-$30

- Screwcap

- 13.0%alc

You can call me naive but I'm sensing a growing underswell of consumer resentment directed towards sauvignon blanc. Sure, Australia's infatuation with 'Savvy B' may have gotten a little out of hand, but let's not forget, there's still plenty of dedicated producers making sauvignon blanc of true integrity in this country (just like Shaw and Smith).

Something of an Adelaide Hills benchmark, Shaw and Smith's 2010 presents an openly aromatic nose of distinctive, pungent varietal quality; revealing ripe gooseberries and lime juice with touches of sweaty funk and an impressive mineral thread. Although there's a definitive indication of refinement to its mineral-accented character, the palate loses nothing by the way of varietal integrity or intensity, as it announces a ripe, juicy undercarriage that bursts with funked-up, almost smoky flavours of honeydew melons, lime and fresh grass, before it's driven to a long, uplifting finish by a zesty extract of sherbet-like citric acids.

ü+ Displaying more shape, refinement and funk than you'd normally expect from an Adelaide Hills savvy; the 2010 is right on the style button set by Shaw and Smith's recent outings. Drink to 2012.

91 points

www.shawandsmith.com

ROLLING SAUVIGNON BLANC SEMILLON 2009

- Central Ranges, NSW

- $12-$20

- Screwcap

- 12.0%alc

The high altitude vineyards of New South Wales' Orange/Central Ranges region have proven well suited to sauvignon blanc, a point which Cumulus amply illustrated with their 2009 Climbing release (91pts).

Cumulus' second label, Rolling, has delivered an uncomplicated SBS from 2009 with light scents of sauvignon blanc derived passionfruit/tinned tropical fruits leading aromas of lemon zest and nettle. Its light-medium bodied, forward palate presents a well timed, juicy hit of clean and fresh fruit flavour in the middle section, before finishing with brassy undertones and hints of apple in a soft, loose fashion without any significant tightness.

O An eye catching label and 4 bronze (!?) medals on the bottle might help this find its niche market, where it should drink okay with seafoods or in a pub atmosphere. Other than that there's not much to excite serious drinkers in this clean yet uninspiring SBS, although it is priced accordingly. Drink now.

87 points

www.rollingwines.com.au

CULLEN CULLEN VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC SEMILLON 2009

- Margaret River, WA

- $29-$38

- Screwcap

- 11.5%alc

In my opinion Cullen's pair of bio-dynamically produced, wooded sauvignon blanc/semillon blends are Australia's best. The 2009 Cullen Vineyard is a 70/30 blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon, of which, 70% spent 4 months in new French oak (3 months oak is more common for the wine but Cullen deemed the 2009's fruit quality to be of an exceptional standard).

With true delicacy and poise, Cullen's 2009 sends up a carefully refined bouquet of clean, toasty/nutty oak, lemon infused mineral, green pea and brine. Pleasingly racy yet full and sumptuous, its pristine palate shows a cleverly judged balance of mineral, citrus and lightly smoked, creamy vanilla oak flavours, with any indication of sauvignon blanc's often predictable, pungent, simple tropical fruit flavours kept well at bay. Despite being quite rich and perhaps even fat through the middle section, the wine finishes fine and dry with refreshingly chalky acids underscored by penetrative notes of lemon, grapefruit and brine, which push deep into the aftertaste with wonderful definition.

ü+ Typical of the label, the 2009 Cullen Vineyard is a rare, intelligent, thinking person's sauvignon blanc blend, which would benefit considerably from a short stint in the cellar. I'd love to see more Australian wineries interpret the blend this way. Brilliant. Drink 2012-2015.

95 points

www.cullenwines.com.au

STEFANO LUBIANA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009

- Southern Tasmania

- $22-$29

- Screwcap

- 12.5%alc

It might seem a bit odd but I really enjoy good Tasmanian sauvignon blanc on cold days. The better wines have a fresh, crisp bite akin to a winter chill, as well as cool herbal characters that remind me of dripping wet, wintry green-leaved plants.

Showing true clarity of colour and aroma, Stefano Lubiana's 2009 presents an attractively refined nose of restrained varietal quality, opening to herbal/grassy aromas of gooseberry and green pea with a touch of sweaty funk. The long, well constructed palate matches the nose with a refined varietal fruit profile, which bursts with cleanly balanced, juicy white fruit and apple flavours underpinned by notes of passionfruit and brine. Finishing with a lengthy extract of shapely, slightly sherbet-like citric acids, the wine drives home with true lasting impression.

ü+ Fans of Stefano Lubiana's style would do well to invest in this supremely drinkable sauvignon blanc. It's true to the man's ideals of full flavour, elegant structure and natural balance. Drink to 2011.

92 points

www.slw.com.au

SHAW VINEYARD ESTATE PREMIUM SEMILLON SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009

- Canberra District

- $22

- Screwcap

- 13.0%alc

Due at least in part to its perceived popularity, sauvignon blanc and its customary blending partner semillon have popped up in practically every Australian wine region conceivable, regardless of its suitability (or lack there of) to the region.

Clearly dominated by semillon on the nose, Shaw Vineyard's 2009 SSB shows aromas of citrus zest, nettle, hay and green stalk before revealing a palate that lacks both fruit character and flavour definition. It announces rather broad undertones of green bean and straw flavour, then goes on to finish quite dry and bitter-edged, with a lengthy climax pulled out by persistent semillon-derived acids, which are decidedly assertive yet just in check.

X This doesn't really play to the strengths of what the blend can achieve, but then again, I've yet to have a Canberra SSB that does. Drink now.

86 points

www.shawvineyards.com.au

CLIMBING SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009

- Orange, NSW

- $22

- Screwcap

- 13.0%alc

It might sound unlikely to your average punter who drinks from the Adelaide Hills or Marlborough, but Orange has stepped forward as a very promising sauvignon blanc district. Names like Philip Shaw, Printhie and Cumulus' Climbing label are leading the way with their more shapely, refined varietal expressions.

Climbing's 2009 opens to smooth scents of creamed gooseberries, lychee, lime and gentle passionfruit, which although lacking a bit of varietal punch and intensity, it shows carefully judged style. Decidedly eloquent for the variety, its somewhat juicy palate presents pristine, clear varietal fruit underscored by mineral tones and a delightful savoury aspect possibly imparted by a touch of barrel fermentation. It's beautifully refined, restrained and ably textured for the variety, with a refreshing finish nicely drawn out by persisting notes of lime juice/passionfruit and limey acids.

ü+ Climbing's 2009 totally works in more of an 'adult' sauvignon blanc sort of way. Chalk up another one for Orange. Drink to 2011.

91 points

www.climbingwines.com.au