2008 The Broken Fishplate

© Roy Bisson

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Harvest Dates:
1,7 & 10 March
Oak Maturation:
8% fermented in old French oak barrels for a month.
Alcohol by Vol:
13.0%
Glucose + Fructose: 
4.9 g/L
Titratable Acid: 
7.8 g/L
pH:
3.15
Bottled: 
31 July
Chief Winemaker:
Chester d’Arenberg Osborn

Other Vintages

‘Lovely tropical fruit sauvignon without the greenish tomato bush infusion of many other s/b versions. It’s crisp and refreshing in the palate, too, lemon juice squeezed over tamarillos with good varietal definition in the mouth.’

The name Broken Fishplate comes from the small block of Sauvignon Blanc planted in a tight ‘V’ of the gully. The vine rows follow the contour of the land, eventually meeting, forming a sharp bend in the row. Often when the grape harvester goes around this bend, the fishplates that straddle the vines and posts break off, hence ‘the broken fishplate’. Not even a chilled glass of fine Sauvignon Blanc will calm an operator with a broken fishplate.

Very clear appearance with a lovely perfumed aroma of ripe passionfruit and guava skins and sweet scented tropical fruits with a background of dried herbs, cut grass and passionfruit skins. The palate is very elegant; fruity and dry with plenty of richness and concentration due partially to a small amount of barrel fermentation which really impacts the richness to the mouthfeel of the wine. Flavours are dominated with notes of dried blackcurrant leaves, tropical fruits, green melon rind and gooseberry balanced with fine elevated acidity that keeps the wine in check. Lingering flavours are a mix of tropical fruits, guavas and gooseberries with passionfruit and dried herb/mineral notes.

It’s a wonderful drink-now style that requires a plate of food and some good conversation.

2008 was a fabulous vintage for whites such as Sauvignon Blanc due to the intensity of flavour ripeness at such low levels of pH and high levels of natural acidity. It was an early start to vintage but one of the most exciting due to the extremely cool weather experienced through February.

The soil reached filled capacity in winter setting the vines up perfectly. Spring was normal with some rain and canopy growth strong due to adequate falls of rain which just kept everything stress free through veraison to harvesting, resulting in superb vintage conditions.

The grapes are lightly crushed with a short period of skin contact prior to being inoculated with yeast in temperature controlled tanks. Some lightly pressed material that was particularly intense in varietal character was also added to the final blend to give the wine further complexity. 8% of the free run juice was fermented in French Oak barriques and hogsheads for a very short time only to increase complexity and mouthfeel. A tiny proportion of this wine went through a natural wild yeast fermentation which contributed an extra dimension of depth to the final blend.