2024 Gilbert Sauvignon Blanc

95 pts
Perfectly poised and textural Sauvignon Blanc from an Orange star.

Price:
Sale price$32.00
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In stock, ready to ship
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Description

Will Gilbert is helping to change how we view New South Wales Sauvignon Blanc. Operating out of the high-altitude slopes of Orange, he has pushed past the standard simple tropical juice box styles to deliver a sophisticated, grown-up white that focuses entirely on real structural detail.

The fruit comes from seriously high vineyards, sitting nearly a thousand metres up where the cool air keeps things fresh. He gives the juice some proper time on full lees in a mix of old large-format foudres and concrete tanks. This old-school handling fills out the wine, adding more volume and weight.

Instead of simple grassiness, you've got fleshy yellow orchard fruits, bitter citrus oil, and a light hazelnut undertone. It carries a beautiful waxy texture that gets balanced perfectly by a clean, briny mineral kick. 

One of the better quality NSW Sauvs on the market and really smart value.

95 points
"This is a wine that has come of age, a grown-up, sophisticated version of cool-climate sauvignon blanc... A stunning white wine, with so much textural presence and detail."
- Shanteh Wale (Halliday Wine Companion)

95 points - "This is a wine that has come of age, a grown-up, sophisticated version of cool-climate sauvignon blanc. Aromas of white peach, Rainier cherries and pomelo. There is a tropical essence that shows in hibiscus blooms and pineapple core. The palate widens with salinity and a fleshy, almost oily texture. Acidity drives the wine, but the high-pitched notes are dissolved through worked lees stirring. There are young almond and wet stone minerals that take the enjoyment of this wine to new levels. A stunning white wine, with so much textural presence and detail." - Shanteh Wale (Halliday Wine Companion)

REGION
Sourced from the foothills of Mt Canobolas, these vineyards have fertile soil, rich in volcanic ash. It is deep, well drained clay loam and red and brown ferrosol soils derived from basalt, with silty textures being found at hill top sites.
One of NSW’s cooler regions, Orange has a mean January temperature of 19.5°C with a 15°C variance between summer and winter months. Average rainfall is approximately 875mm per annum. With Orange being the highest wine growing region in Australia, grapes grown here not only enjoy all the benefits of its cooler temperatures and unique topography, but also benefit from over 9 hours per day of direct sunshine during the growing season.
The combination of both the cooler climate and plentiful sunshine is vital to the fruit's ability to develop intense aroma and maintain flavour, giving these grapes a long mouth feel and flavour profile.

WINEMAKERS' NOTES
These grapes were harvested in small lots, in the early hours of the morning. The fruit was destemmed, then drained and pressed with each incremental increase in pressure, with one parcel spending 6 hours on skins prior to pressing. The juice was then cold settled for 48 hours and racked, taking most of the solids from pressing and leaving just the heavy solids behind, then warmed. Fermentation and maturation took place in oak, concrete and amphora with regular bâtonnage for a period of 9 months, allowing an increase in texture, roundness and complexity. Temperature was allowed to peak at 28°C before naturally cooling down to a more normal temperature range. This causes a shift in aromatics towards a more complex, secondary and savoury spectrum.
Minimal malolactic fermentation took place, after which all parcels were blended in November 2024 and kept on light lees in stainless prior to being prepared for bottling.

Price Bracket $30 or Less
Type White
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Sauvignon Blanc
Country Australia
Region Orange
Australian State NSW
Reviewed By Halliday Wine Companion
Critic Score 95
Alcohol 13%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2024
Closure Screw Cap

Gilbert Wines

Will Gilbert is a sixth-generation winemaker based in Mudgee in country NSW who's taken up the family mantle.

The Gilbert family sources fruit from local vineyards in and around the Mudgee area as well as from premium vineyards in the cooler region of Orange. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc feature heavily in their excellent lineup as well as a suite of experimental wines, including Pet Nats and Piquettes.

Will is one of the most exciting young winemaking talents in NSW at the moment. If you like to keep your ear close to the ground on what's hot, Will's wines are to have a close eye kept on them.

Winemaker Will Gilbert Gilbert Wines

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