Mulline Sutherlands Creek Fume Blanc 2022

Fan’s of Bordeaux Blanc, vintages of Domaine A Lady A and textured Sauvignon Blanc’s look no further, this is a wonderful expression of this style. Bordeaux clone of Sauvignon Blanc. Soils of Grey and Brown Loam with Fragmented Granite. Hand picked, foot stomped and left for 18 hours on skins.Then pressed into barrel of which 30% is new oak from Austria, the rest in seasoned French oak. Wild ferment on full solids but no less stirring, sulphured after primary fermentation to prevent malolactic, 8 months elevage. Ben highlighted his appreciation of Austrian oak – low toast, very tight grain, doesn’t soak as much wine as French, subtle, keeping aromatics.

“The 2022 Sutherlands Creek Fumé Blanc smells like banoffee pie. (I haven’t made this classic in ages!) Perhaps that’s the influence of the 30% new Austrian oak here. Anyhow, the nose has aromas of grilled banana, caramel, leafy herbs (this is where we leave the banoffee pie situation), snow peas, asparagus and gooseberry. There’s a pungency to the fruit that is interesting, as it is embedded in the oak characters and lighter on the palate than the aromas would suggest. An altogether interesting wine, that, when tasted beside the other Fumé Blanc, helps it to appear really quite distinct. As it opens up, some cassis and juniper help it along its way. I’d almost suggest a quick decant! 12.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.” – 91 Points – Erin Larkin – The Wine Advocate