Winemaking legends Tim Knappstein and Nick Knappstein are responsible for this beautiful Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc from the exceptional '23 vintage. No expense was spared in the fruit quality, with high altitude vineyards (Piccadilly and Carey Gully) chosen, and only the cane pruned sections. Aromas of passionfruit and florals dominate the nose with the palate offering clarity, depth. texture, minerality and the zing of well-balanced acidity.
If you enjoy your wines and have done for a while, you have no doubt heard the name Tim Knappstein before. He is a third generation vigneron, with the Knappstein name having been involved in the SA wine business since 1895. Tim started making wine in 1966 and has amassed in excess of 500 show awards including 120 gold medals and 24 trophies. Not bad huh!
The Riposte label has allowed Tim and his son Nick to play around with some cool climate wines in the Adelaide Hills, most notably, The Dagger Pinot, The Sabre Pinot and the Foil Sauv Blanc, all of which regularly pick up accolades.
Region
Adelaide Hills, SA
Considerably cooler than the surrounding plains, the hills are washed in rain during winte ...
Considerably cooler than the surrounding plains, the hills are washed in rain during winter months, and the peaks wrapped in fog. It is considered a high rainfall region compared to other Australian regions, but outside of winter the climate is warm and dry. Night time temperatures are the feature - notably cooler than the day when the sun sets. Worth noting is how the average rainfall increases the higher you go, with Mount Lofty picking up 1400mm on the old splash-o-meter compared to 850mm just 10K down the road in Charleston. This range of moisture and altitudes results in a variety of soils, but in general are sand and clay loam over clay subsoils. ... Read Full Article
#html-body [data-pb-style=NJTYKUG]{justify-content:flex-start;display:flex;flex-direction:column;background-position:left top;background-size:cover;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-attachment:scroll}#html-body [data-pb-style=CR7DD3L]{border-style:none;border-width:1px;border-radius:0;margin:0;padding:0}Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape gets its name from the French word sauvage ("wild") and blanc ("white") due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France. It is now planted in many of the world's wine regions, producing a crisp, dry, and refreshing wh ... Read Full Article
Considerably cooler than the surrounding plains, the hills are washed in rain during winter months, and the peaks wrapped in fog. It is considered a high rainfall region compared to other Australian regions, but outside of winter the climate is warm and dry. Night time temperatures are the feature - notably cooler than the day when the sun sets. Worth noting is how the average rainfall increases the higher you go, with Mount Lofty picking up 1400mm on the old splash-o-meter compared to 850mm just 10K down the road in Charleston. This range of moisture and altitudes results in a variety of soils, but in general are sand and clay loam over clay subsoils. A bit of shale and ironstone can be found, and the soil is acidic on average and rarely acidic.
The combination of climate and soil lends to superb cool-weather whites like Riesling (if you watch for mould), Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and crisp Chardonnays. Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon can also be found, with the grapes maturing
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape gets its name from the French word sauvage ("wild") and blanc ("white") due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France. It is now planted in many of the world's wine regions, producing a crisp, dry, and refreshing white varietal wine.
In Australia
Here in Australia, particularly the Margaret River region, the grape is often blended with Sémillon. Varietal styles, made from only the Sauvignon blanc grape, from Adelaide Hills and Padthaway have a style distinctive from our New Zealand neighbours and tend to be more ripe in flavor with white peach and lime notes and slightly higher acidity.
Characteristics
Depending on the climate, the flavor can range from aggressively grassy to sweetly tropical. Wine experts have used the phrase "crisp, elegant, and fresh" as a favorable description of Sauvignon blanc from the Loire
