2023 - 9 Lives - Sauvignon Blanc

Skin-Contact Sauvignon Blanc

Oranje Tactor, Albany

514 Bottles Made 

Affectionately named 9 Lives in reference to Sauvignon Blanc’s unique ability to stink of cat’s piss all throughout the winemaking process and into the bottle. A new cuvee for us fashioned from organically grown Sauvignon Blanc which Alexi Christidis of Chalari Wines farmed for us down in Albany in the Great Southern.

Sam and Larry went on a super fun road trip to haul this (and some Merlot) back to the Swan Valley after it was picked in mid-March. Crushed to nally bin for an eight day ferment on skins, and subsequently pressed to stainless steel tank to chill out for 10 months. 

Tasted in early December when some of the cat-tinged ammonia stench had dissipated, following which it was racked and bottled completely unadulterated.

We feel as though the qualities on the nose should be more than apparent by now. But there is also some snow peas, fermenting cut grass and a resinous freshly-sawn-pine-tree quality. On the palate it has a pleasing orange juice sweetness with some vitamin C gummy. Herbal and grassy, it builds and builds to reveal orange peel bitter phenolics. Refined and rather elegant in the mouth, being aqueous and generous up front, whilst tightening up toward the back where it becomes rich with phenolics. Mouth-filling acid line that seeps into your gingiva and the base of your tongue. Aspirating in the mouth gives a pleasing and refreshing saffron taste and aroma in the retronasal area.

Delicious and very unique addition to our ever-growing cadre of mongrels.