Winery & Vintage Info
Shaw + Smith Sauvignon Blanc was established by winemaker Martin Shaw and Master of Wine Michael Hill Smith back in 1989, the 2020 vintage was created by winemakers Adam Wadewitz and Martin Shaw making it the 31st vintage release of this wine. The vision was to make exciting, refined wines exclusively from the Adelaide Hills that reflect Shaw + Smith vineyard sites and climate.
Shaw + Smith own two vineyards in the Adelaide Hills, at Balhannah and Lenswood, totalling 55 hectares. The vineyards are planted to varieties that perform particularly well in the region, namely Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. 2020 saw the fruit for this Sauvignon Blanc being sourced from their estate vineyards, and complemented by fruit from a small number of highly valued growers.
The vintage threw up a number of challenges, including frosts, poor fruit set and fires. That said, the weather during the ripening period was extremely kind. February saw perfectly even ripening and resulted in grapes that were small, packed with flavour, and with higher than normal acidity.
Hand picked. Cool fermentation in stainless steel followed by maturation on lees. Early bottling to retain freshness. It has become known as a benchmark for Adelaide Hills, and Australian Sauvignon Blanc.
