Metcalfe Valley Sauvignon 2008

Metcalfe, Macedon Ranges, screwtop

A mate of mine’s involved with this venture and when I returned to Australia at Christmas I was generously handed this and the Metcalfe Valley Shiraz 2006. I enjoyed the 2007 edition of this a lot and was therefore pretty keen to try this recent version, stylish new label and all. Apart from Sauvignon Blanc grown at the Metcalfe Valley Vineyard this also contains 12% Semillon and 3% Chardonnay sourced from the Yarra Valley and Port Philip (a zone that includes Mornington, Geelong, Macedon, Sunbury and the Yarra Valley).

This smells absolutely delicious; there’s lime and passionfruit, but also a yeasty/ bready element that reminds of good sparkling wine. Tasting this I liked the zippy citrus and richer stone fruit flavours, but what really blew me away was its minerality. Wow this wine is sure a surprise packet; it reminds me more of Chardonnay and Old World Chardonnay at that. Long, balanced and possessing such exciting minerality this makes me wonder why so many in Australia bother with that pungent gunk from across the Tasman. The label’s better than the 2007 and the wine is even more so; Metcalfe Valley Sauvignon 2008 is excellent stuff.

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