“That’s what winemaking really is,” says Fairview Cellars owner Bill Eggert pointing to a table of glasses. Each contains samples of wine from the cellar. Sauvignon Blanc is the first wine to be examined today and even though the finished bottle of wine will only have a single varietal’s name on the label, there is still a huge amount of thought and consideration that goes into crafting the wine from various components.
Today’s sampling involves Sauvignon Blanc from a stainless-steel tank, a barrel, and Semillon from a barrel. The tank portion was brilliantly aromatic with intense fresh grass, lime, and Asian pears and was briskly acidic. The barreled sample was less aromatic but had rounder flavours of ripe golden apples and straw. The Semillon showed the oak aromas the most but was equally brisk as the tank sample. Each will be a key ingredient in the final wine that will give it balance and complexity.
Sauvignon Blanc is not new to Fairview Cellars. Bill’s first vintage of the varietal was in 2005 and the 2016 component samples on the table are from his 12th Sauvignon Blanc vintage. Sauvignon Blanc often generates a lot of excitement for what a new vintage can offer. The 2016 Sauvignon Blanc appears to be extremely aromatic. “It’s the year,” says Bill, even though he hesitates to say that it’s the year every year. “Everything must still be in balance.”
Fairview’s 2016 Sauvignon Blanc will be out shortly and ready for sipping or pairing with your favourite seafood dishes.
www.fairviewcellars.com
~Luke Whittall