McHenry Hohnen, Calgardup Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Calgardup Sauvignon Blanc, McHenry Hohnen 2021 

Margaret River, Australia

Grape Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Alcohol: 12.4% ABV

The Story

Biodynamic farming, minimal intervention winemaking, single vineyard wines of Margaret River.

Since its inception McHenry Hohnen has had an unwavering focus on crafting site expressive wines. As the vines age and the soils continue to evolve, the individuality and beauty of the land continually develop in our wines.

The wines of McHenry Hohnen are sourced from the family estate consisting of three vineyards, all located in the southern part of the Margaret River Wine Region: Hazel’s Vineyard and Farm, Calgardup Brook Vineyard and Burnside Vineyard. For decades, founder and owner Murray McHenry has been a leading proponent in pushing the viticultural boundaries of this pristine region. While the portfolio is grounded in Chardonnay and Bordeaux varieties, McHenry Hohnen are also well regarded for less traditional varieties for this region such as Marsanne, Roussanne, Grenache, Mataro and Zinfandel.

McHenry Hohnen see their role as stewards of the land and have implemented organic farming practices for many years to create the optimal conditions for soil health and the quality of the grapes harvested. The winemaking team craft wines that pay homage to the site of origin and use low impact techniques combined with an acute attention to detail to achieve the goal of the finest site specific wines.

Whilst the story of McHenry Hohnen is steeped in the history of the region, we look to the future with anticipation as our soil, vines and wines continue to evolve.

Vineyard & Winemaking

100% Calgardup Brook Vineyard. 20km South of Margaret River in the Forest Grove parish and just 2 km from the Indian Ocean on the west. This site is blessed with free draining coastal soils which are a mix of limestone, granite, and coastal sands. These vines produce elegant and aromatic wines that are ethereal and mineral, with a distinctive salinity. The site cops the full front of the sea breeze from both Southern and Indian Oceans which translates into wines with a unique savoury aftertaste.

Sourced from 30 years old vines on the eastern side of our Calgardup Brook Vineyard, the fruit was picked in the cool hours of the night, whole berry pressed and taken with some solids to barriques for extra texture and aromatic complexity. Fermented in French oak barriques and puncheons of which 10% were new. Frequent lees stirring through maturation delivers a rich, powerful texture. After 8 months in barrels the wine was taken with full lees into tank for extended time on fine lees before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Lifted and tropical nose, with ripe loquat fruit, lychee and guava, intertwined with oatmeal elements, spice and roasted almond notes from barrel fermentation and extended time on fine lees. The palate is creamy and full flavoured, with a core of yellow fruit and a salty acid line to balance. A highly flavoured and textural wine combining varietal definition and intriguing barrel ferment complexities.

Cellaring & Service

Cellaring Potential: 5-7 years

Serving Temperature: 12–14°C

Allergens: This wine contains sulphites