the broken fishplate  Sauvignon Blanc 2023  Adelaide Hills, Sauvignon Blanc (100%)  The Name  Despite being a good match for fish, the  name has nothing to do with them! A  fishplate is a term for the nylon plates that  collect grape bunches on a harvester, and  often break when navigating around the  steep, windy vineyards.  The Vintage  The cool, wet 2022 winter filled the subsoil,  while spring’s heavy rainfall impacted yields.  Shaded basal buds and reduced fruitfulness  from the previous season resulted in small  yields. Mild, dry summer caused late  veraison. Despite a week of intense heat  in February, most vines survived. Riesling  started three weeks late, and McLaren  Vale Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc  ripened with low yields due to the heat  wave. Autumn was mild, and red grape  harvest followed McLaren Vale Chardonnay,  with variable, mostly low yields. Fiano,  Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier ripened  alongside the reds. Only 100 tonnes of red  varieties remained by Easter, with low yields  in Adelaide Hills Chardonnay and Pinot. Dry  white Chardonnay vineyards were used for  sparkling wine, promising a great year.  Harvest dates  Residual sugar  5 Apr - 13 Apr  4.5 g/l  The Winemaking  The fruit for this wine is sourced from the  cool climate Adelaide Hills. Small batches of  grapes are gently crushed, chilled, and then  transferred to stainless steel basket presses.  Gentle extraction of the juice is critical  in these early stages to retain the delicate  fruit characters. To add complexity and  mouthfeel, a small percentage of the wine is  partially fermented in aged French oak for  two to three weeks.  The Characteristics  A pure expression of the variety. Pale light  straw-green colour. Green capsicum notes,  lemongrass and green pears are pungent  on the nose. The palate is citrusy, grassy  and herbal with a distinct passion fruit  flavour. A fresh layer of wet slate, green  apple, kiwifruit and snow peas are aligned  with a superb degree of acidity bringing an  outstanding intensity and balance. Hard not  to be seduced by the refreshing and lingering  zesty finish.