Lismore Estate Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc 2020
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Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Barrel fermentation and extended lees contact contribute to this full bodied, elegant and well balanced wine. Floral notes of passion flower and fynbos, granadilla, guava, gooseberry and green fig on the palate along with an underlying minerality which gives this unique terroir driven wine its signature.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of kiwis, apples, lemon zest and yogurt. Some flinty minerality, too. Medium- to full-bodied with creamy texture, mouthwatering acidity and a lively fruit character. Drink now.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Fresh, clean and herbaceous with a citrus-driven nose, the 2020 Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc is ripe with subtle oak spices. Medium-bodied in the mouth, flavors of candied lime and lemon drop sway with notions of pineapple and peach before soft green herbs make their mark. The wine concludes with a tight, ripe and food-friendly finish with a lingering notion of cardamom madeleines.
Other Vintages
2021-
Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James
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Parker
Robert
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Parker
Robert
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
With an important wine renaissance in full swing, impressive red and white bargains abound in South Africa. The country has a particularly long and rich history with winemaking, especially considering its status as part of the “New World.” In the mid-17th century, the lusciously sweet dessert wines of Constantia were highly prized by the European aristocracy. Since then, the South African wine industry has experienced some setbacks due to the phylloxera infestation of the late 1800s and political difficulties throughout the following century.
Today, however, South Africa is increasingly responsible for high-demand, high-quality wines—a blessing to put the country back on the international wine map. Wine production is mainly situated around Cape Town, where the climate is generally warm to hot. But the Benguela Current from Antarctica provides brisk ocean breezes necessary for steady ripening of grapes. Similarly, cooler, high-elevation vineyard sites throughout South Africa offer similar, favorable growing conditions.
South Africa’s wine zones are divided into region, then smaller districts and finally wards, but the country’s wine styles are differentiated more by grape variety than by region. Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, is the country’s “signature” grape, responsible for red-fruit-driven, spicy, earthy reds. When Pinotage is blended with other red varieties, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Pinot Noir (all commonly vinified alone as well), it is often labeled as a “Cape Blend.” Chenin Blanc (locally known as “Steen”) dominates white wine production, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc following close behind.