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This is the second Picardy Sauvignon Blanc from the estate. Pemberton shows all the signs of emerging as a great Australian Sauvignon Blanc region and Picardy will help the cause greatly with this vibrant white. It was made from three Sauvignon Blanc clones, each contributing to structure and complexity. It also contains eighteen percent Semillon for texture, mouthfeel and palate length. The fruit was sourced entirely from the estate, dry grown, cane pruned and handpicked. It offers lively tropical fruit, lime and varietal perfumes. The palate is fresh, balanced and full of tropical fruit characters, lemon, lychee and hints of passionfruit. There is also a tight, flinty mineral character, distinctive grassy notes, and a robust acidity making this a great food wine. The finish is dry, crisp and highly satisfying. Perfect with fresh oysters or pan-fried whiting or even by itself on a warm summer’s day. |
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This is the first Picardy Sauvignon Blanc from the estate. It is made from three clones of Sauvignon Blanc, each contributing to structure and complexity. It also contains 7% Semillon for texture, mouthfeel and palate length. Bill and Dan found that each of these clones have differing fruit characters, complimented by the Semillon. As with all Picardy wines the fruit for this wine was sourced entirely from the Picardy estate, dry grown, cane pruned and handpicked. Two strains of yeast were used in separate fermentations, enhancing texture and flavour as well as adding to overall complexity. The grapes for this wine were intentionally picked at lower baumes to make a wine with lower alcohol, while retaining fresh delicate flavours reminiscent of the newer styles from Sancerre, thus making a wine of very similar style to the trial batch wines but with better fruit and complexity. |
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Even though this wine is only a trial made with fruit from a neighbouring vineyard it has exceeded all of the Pannells’ expectations. The Pemberton region has all the attributes for producing world class Sauvignon Blanc, but to date the variety has not been widely planted there. That will change, led by experimental wines like this one. A tank sample which I recently tasted showed a wonderfully vibrant, typically varietal style with tremendous freshness and fruit depth. The Pannell’s were looking for a complex New Zealand style without the hard green characters present in some of the Kiwi Sauvignon Blancs – and they have achieved it commendably. Watch out Marlborough: here comes Pemby! This wine gets better with every sip. Try it withtagliatelle and sautéed chicken livers. |
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This Sauvignon Blanc has exceeded all expectations for the Pannells. Like Marlborough in New Zealand, Pemberton has all the key attributes for producing world-beating Sauvignon Blanc. The soils, micro climate, temperature gradients (moderated by the altitude and southern latitude) and terrain are ideally suited to the style, and the only real surprise is why more of the variety has not been planted in the area before now. It’s a perfect white fit for Pemby. This Pannell Family wine is about to change all that – expect to see a lot more of this popular easy drinking variety going in across the region. The Pannells were looking for a vibrant, complex New Zealand style without the sometimes tell-tale astringent green characters that are sometimes part and parcel of the wines from across the Tasman. They have achieved this commendably. Here is a beautifully developed, vibrant, fruit infused wine displaying pristine varietal characters that almost seems to dance in the class. Powerful, full of spectral citrus nuances and finesse across the palate with a lingering friendly acid finish, this is an impressive wine indeed. Truth be told, it is among the most impressive new Sauvignon Blancs to emerge from a WA region in a very long time. |
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