d'Arenberg High Altitude The Broken Fishplate Sauvignon Blanc 2023 x 12
the broken fishplate
Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Adelaide Hills, Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
The Name
Despite being a good match for fish, the
name has nothing to do with them! A
fishplate is a term for the nylon plates that
collect grape bunches on a harvester, and
often break when navigating around the
steep, windy vineyards.
The Vintage
The cool, wet 2022 winter filled the subsoil,
while spring’s heavy rainfall impacted yields.
Shaded basal buds and reduced fruitfulness
from the previous season resulted in small
yields. Mild, dry summer caused late
veraison. Despite a week of intense heat
in February, most vines survived. Riesling
started three weeks late, and McLaren
Vale Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc
ripened with low yields due to the heat
wave. Autumn was mild, and red grape
harvest followed McLaren Vale Chardonnay,
with variable, mostly low yields. Fiano,
Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier ripened
alongside the reds. Only 100 tonnes of red
varieties remained by Easter, with low yields
in Adelaide Hills Chardonnay and Pinot. Dry
white Chardonnay vineyards were used for
sparkling wine, promising a great year.
Harvest dates
Residual sugar
5 Apr - 13 Apr
4.5 g/l
The Winemaking
The fruit for this wine is sourced from the
cool climate Adelaide Hills. Small batches of
grapes are gently crushed, chilled, and then
transferred to stainless steel basket presses.
Gentle extraction of the juice is critical
in these early stages to retain the delicate
fruit characters. To add complexity and
mouthfeel, a small percentage of the wine is
partially fermented in aged French oak for
two to three weeks.
The Characteristics
A pure expression of the variety. Pale light
straw-green colour. Green capsicum notes,
lemongrass and green pears are pungent
on the nose. The palate is citrusy, grassy
and herbal with a distinct passion fruit
flavour. A fresh layer of wet slate, green
apple, kiwifruit and snow peas are aligned
with a superb degree of acidity bringing an
outstanding intensity and balance. Hard not
to be seduced by the refreshing and lingering
zesty finish.
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