Sauvignon Blanc 2023, Ferox by Fabian Reis

Description from the Producer

VQA Four Mile Creek

Tasting Notes: Sauvignon Blanc is a variety that has been explored by Ferox for years. This 2023 iteration looks at enhancing depth, flavour intensity and weight on palate. Primary aromatics of grapefruit, Bartlett pear, gooseberry and pineapple dominate, with a subtle fruit-yogurt note, courtesy of autolysis. The palate mirrors the nose, with a focus on candied lemon, passionfruit, lime and nectarine, with a hint of green bell pepper (this is a compound called IBMP [3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine] which is a notable characteristic of Sauvignon Blanc, shared by its offspring Cabernet Sauvignon as well). The acidity is balanced, but the highlight of the palate, and the finish is long, keeping flavours on the palate.

Food Pairing: When pairing, look to foods high in salt and acid to highlight the fruitier notes of the variety, but adventurous foodies may look to fatty / oily or chilli-dominant foods, to highlight the balanced alcohol and acidic notes. Dishes like Venetian Shrimp with Polenta or Carolina Fish, shrimp and okra stew with black rice will highlight the fruit of this wine, while making the entire pairing balanced. Alternatively, vegetarians can enjoy dishes like creamy Swiss chard gratin with crispy gnocchi or a Kerala-style vegetable coconut curry will accentuate the aromatics of this wine, while still ensuring flavours of the dish are highlighted. Adventurous foodies can look to dishes like spicy apricot glazed wings, baked Falafel bites with spicy Tahini dip or Tteokbokki-style gnocchi to up-play acidity and alcohol and tone down primary fruit notes and sweetness.

Winemaking Notes: Each cultivar was picked on September 29^th, 2023, at 7am, utilizing a machine harvester with an optical sorter attached. The fruit was pressed within 15 minutes of picking, highlighting our hermetic practices. Pressed at under 1 bar of pressure, the juice was cold settled for 24 hours, before inoculation with a chosen yeast strain. Fermentation lasted 3 weeks at temperatures between 16-18ºC. The wine was racked, and left on fine lees, with bâtonnage occurring once every month using carbon dioxide. This continued for 1 year and 4 months, before fining, filtration and bottling on February 26^th, 2025.

Aim to serve this wine chilled (7-10°C; 45-50°F)

Cellaring Capacity: 7-10 years, at room temperature (15-18°C)

Residual Sugar: 2 g/L