Shaw + Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2025 Adelaide Hills

Winemaking Notes
The Shaw + Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2025 is crafted from fruit sourced from the Shaw + Smith estate vineyards at Balhannah and Lenswood, complemented by fruit from a small number of highly valued growers, showcasing the winery's commitment to growing the best possible grapes and managing vineyards sustainably. The carefully pressed grapes were fermented at cool temperatures and protected from oxygen throughout, ensuring the wine retains its vibrant notes of tropical fruits, citrus, and fresh herbs that define this lively and refined profile. Some time in tank on yeast lees followed, helping to build palate texture and complexity whilst maintaining the crisp acidity and vivid fruit flavours that create the clean, enduring finish. Shaw + Smith's philosophy of valuing vine health, soil health, and low yields is central to their approach, with the wines fermented, aged, and bottled on site at Balhannah in the pursuit of quality. The result is a vibrant, medium-bodied expression of Sauvignon Blanc that reflects the sites and region, with the cool-climate character of the Adelaide Hills captured in every glass. The careful handling throughout the winemaking process, from the cool temperature fermentation to the protection from oxygen and the time on yeast lees, ensures the wine displays beautiful integration between fruit intensity and refreshing acidity, with the tropical fruit and citrus flavours providing immediate enjoyment whilst the fresh herb notes add complexity and interest.

Regional Character & Estate Philosophy
Shaw + Smith is located in the Mt Lofty Ranges of the Adelaide Hills, thirty minutes' drive from Adelaide, with elevation varying from around 350 metres to over 710 metres at Mt Lofty. Although grapes were planted as early as 1839 in the Adelaide Hills, it was not until 1979 that viticulture was revived there, and over the last three decades the Adelaide Hills has built a reputation as one of Australia's most exciting wine regions. The Adelaide Hills is bordered to the north by the Barossa and Eden Valleys and McLaren Vale to the south, but due to its altitude, the Adelaide Hills is significantly cooler and wetter, providing ideal conditions for cool-climate varieties like Sauvignon Blanc. Shaw + Smith was established in 1989 by cousins Michael Hill Smith MW and Martin Shaw, and they make wines exclusively from the Adelaide Hills, from varieties that suit the cooler climate: Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz. Shaw + Smith own two vineyards, in Lenswood and Balhannah, with Balhannah also home to the winery's cellar door, and the 2025 Sauvignon Blanc showcases the essence of cool climate and ancient soils from these esteemed sites. The eagerly awaited 2025 vintage captures the region's celebrated reputation for outstanding Sauvignon Blanc, with the cool climate and ancient soils of the Adelaide Hills providing the foundation for this wine's lively and refined profile, crisp acidity, and clean, enduring finish.