Sixty-Second Swirl by Brent Lello, Yass Valley Times Wine Columnist
It’s often the case that when two or more grape varieties are blended to produce a finished wine, the result is greater than the sum of the individual parts. A great example of this phenomenon is with the two distinct varieties – Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Each of these can produce top little drops in their own right, with distinct flavours and characters, and they both do really well in the cool climate-growing conditions of the Yass Valley region. But, when they are combined in a wine, a little bit of wand-waving magic seems to happen. A cracking example of this is the focus of this week’s “swirl” – the Barton Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2022.
Bob & Julie and the crew have been cracking out quality cool climate wines for around 25 years, and this classic white blend is well worth seeking out.
This bonny little blend is a pale straw colour with bright flashes from within. A swirl reveals attractive aromas of ripe passionfruit and tropical melon with a hint of freshly cut green apple and grapefruit.
The palate is crisp and refreshing with tropical fruit and ripe citrus flavours, a lovely lift of acidity that leads to a fulfilling, food-friendly finish.
We enjoyed our bottle with steamed chilli chicken dumplings with lime and chilli soy, and the match was spot on. This wine would go really well with any freshly grilled seafood or lightly spiced Asian-inspired dish. I sourced my bottle from the local wine selection at Dan Murphy’s, but you can either call into the Barton Estate Cellar door on the highway or online for $22.
