2023 Sass the Tailor

Adelaide Hills / Eden Valley

Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Blend

Pale gold with green hues. Lifted aromas of citrus blossom, passionfruit flower, tangerine and guava, with underlying notes of white peach, lemon rind and rosemary. A rich and textural palate filled with flavours of nectarine, ripe pear, baked apple, nougat and cashew, balanced by refreshing acidity and a long, lingering finish.


$28.00
$28.00
Pale gold with green hues. Lifted aromas of citrus blossom, passionfruit flower, tangerine and guava, with underlyin...

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BACKGROUND

Sass the Tailor is a tribute to Henry William Sass, a tailor of Lobethal in the early 1900s, who owned an Adelaide Hills property on Croft Road that became part of the Henschke Lenswood Vineyard in 2009. Sass subsequently sold the property to Frederick Croft, after whom the road along Croft Ridge is named. First-generation Henschke winemaker, Johann Christian and his sons helped establish the Adelaide Hills town of Lobethal following their 90-day voyage from Kutschlau, Silesia in 1841. In 1847 Johann Christian moved his family to Krondorf in the Barossa Valley, finally settling in the Eden Valley, where we have since celebrated over 150 years of family winemaking.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Varieties: 29% sauvignon blanc 25% semillon 17% chardonnay 8% gewürztraminer 4% grüner veltliner 3% gewürztraminer and 3% riesling

Harvest Date: 10 - 23 March

Alcohol: 12.5%

Vintage Rating: Excellent vintage

Maturation: Matured for 7 months in a combination of stainless steel, new Austrian and seasoned French oak barrels and cocciopesto amphorae to build texture on the palate.

Cellaring Potential: 10+ years (from vintage)

VINTAGE

Adelaide Hills – Winter saw 550mm of rain and cold conditions, which delayed budburst. The end of November and early December was exceedingly wet with over three times the average rainfall. Continued wet weather saturated the soil, posing challenges for vineyard access and increasing pest and disease pressure. Development of downy mildew infections in the pre-flowering bunches caused some damage, but ideal flowering conditions in mid-December resulted in good set. Veraison began in the last week of January, which led to an early vintage. As anticipated, a small crop was harvested at our Lenswood Vineyard with the wines showing excellent aromatics, flavour and acidity.

Eden Valley – While the winter of 2022 saw average rainfall, the latter part of the year brought cooler and above average wet weather. This led to poor flower set and encouraged the spread of downy mildew. A hail flurry on 23 January caused some damage to the green berries, which became sites for botrytis infections later during ripening. The cool lead up to vintage resulted in a slow ripening period, allowing for great flavour development and acid retention. Rainfall during harvest encouraged the growth of botrytis, but careful hand selection during picking delivered good quality fruit. Despite the challenges, the 2023 vintage will be remembered for excellent quality wines.

TASTING NOTES

Sass the Tailor is a tribute to Henry William Sass, a tailor of Lobethal in the early 1900s, who owned an Adelaide Hills property on Croft Road that became part of the Henschke Lenswood Vineyard in 2009. Sass subsequently sold the property to Frederick Croft, after whom the road along Croft Ridge is named. First-generation Henschke winemaker, Johann Christian and his sons helped establish the Adelaide Hills town of Lobethal following their 90-day voyage from Kutschlau, Silesia in 1841. In 1847 Johann Christian moved his family to Krondorf in the Barossa Valley, finally settling in the Eden Valley, where we have since celebrated over 150 years of family winemaking.

Varieties: 29% sauvignon blanc 25% semillon 17% chardonnay 8% gewürztraminer 4% grüner veltliner 3% gewürztraminer and 3% riesling

Harvest Date: 10 - 23 March

Alcohol: 12.5%

Vintage Rating: Excellent vintage

Maturation: Matured for 7 months in a combination of stainless steel, new Austrian and seasoned French oak barrels and cocciopesto amphorae to build texture on the palate.

Cellaring Potential: 10+ years (from vintage)

Adelaide Hills – Winter saw 550mm of rain and cold conditions, which delayed budburst. The end of November and early December was exceedingly wet with over three times the average rainfall. Continued wet weather saturated the soil, posing challenges for vineyard access and increasing pest and disease pressure. Development of downy mildew infections in the pre-flowering bunches caused some damage, but ideal flowering conditions in mid-December resulted in good set. Veraison began in the last week of January, which led to an early vintage. As anticipated, a small crop was harvested at our Lenswood Vineyard with the wines showing excellent aromatics, flavour and acidity.

Eden Valley – While the winter of 2022 saw average rainfall, the latter part of the year brought cooler and above average wet weather. This led to poor flower set and encouraged the spread of downy mildew. A hail flurry on 23 January caused some damage to the green berries, which became sites for botrytis infections later during ripening. The cool lead up to vintage resulted in a slow ripening period, allowing for great flavour development and acid retention. Rainfall during harvest encouraged the growth of botrytis, but careful hand selection during picking delivered good quality fruit. Despite the challenges, the 2023 vintage will be remembered for excellent quality wines.