This week’s final wine is one that was, admittedly, already close to my heart (and therefore had a leg-up over this week’s other two wines). You see, on my Spring 2008 trip to Western Australia with Pop and SM, Leeuwin Estate was by far my favorite Margaret River winery (and that’s saying a lot, given the quality of the wineries in the region), and their Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc blend, though not the first one I tasted on the trip, was certainly the one that made me fall madly, deeply in love with the signature Western Australia blend.
Situated among its rows and rows of gorgeous vines, with an amphitheatre on the grounds for its famous summer concert series, a seriously gourmet restaurant with a seasonal menu specifically designed around its own wines, and an art gallery on site to showcase the art specially commissioned for its Art Series wines, Leeuwin Estates may very well be my favorite winery in the world. Granted, I still have plenty of wineries in plenty of wine regions to visit, but this one will be hard to beat. The entire experience is fantastic, as is every single one of their wines. The attention that the Leeuwin winemaker pays to every detail of his wines is astonishing, and it shows.
The winery’s “Siblings” wines are named as such for two reasons. First, the name honors the second generation of the Leeuwin family entering the
A shot of a portion of the grounds at Leeuwin Estate.
winemaking biz. Second, at least according to the nice gentleman who took us on a tour of the property, the “Siblings” wines are fermented in barrels that were formerly used to make the more expensive “Art Series” wines. The
used barrels impart flavors and notes from the older wines, making the newer wines younger “siblings” to the older ones. Thus, the “Siblings” Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc blend is fermented in barrels that were formerly dedicated to the “Art Series” Sauvignon Blanc and is therefore a younger “sibling” to the older wine. It’s a process that is brilliant not only from an environmental perspective but also from the
A shot of me checking out the Leeuwin Estate art gallery.
perspective of making wines at different price points that nonetheless maintain a consistent style and flavor.
Though I tasted it while sitting on J’s couch in Playa Del Rey, California, my first whiff of the 2007 “Siblings” Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc took me instantly back to Margaret River. A brilliantly clear pale straw with just a hint of green around the edge, the nose of this wine is fragrant with Meyer lemon blossom, tarragon, freshly cut grass, and dusty limestone. On the palate, it has a distinctive minerality not present in either of this week’s other wines along with tons of sweet Meyer lemon, ruby grapefruit, Thompson’s seedless grapes, crisp green apple, grass, and a bit of almost spicy pepper, probably from the cool climate Semillon. Perfectly balanced with a long, lingering finish of juicy citrus, J and I both agreed that there is not a single thing either of us would change about this wine.
And the best part? It’s totally affordable, coming in at just $16.89/bottle at Wine Chateau (though you can also find it at Old Bridge Cellars and wine.com). If all you think of when you think about Australian wine is big, oaky Chardonnay and overly alcoholic Shiraz, this get yourself a bottle of the 2007 Leeuwin Estate “Siblings” Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc (or any Leeuwin Estate wine, for that matter). You’ll never think about Australian wine the same way again.
5 corks popped….
Cheers!
a meat thermometer placed in the meatiest part measures about 145 degrees. Tent the meat with aluminum foil and allow to rest for about 10 minutes.
