Sidewood Mappinga Adelaide Hills Fume Blanc 2015
I’ve got the whole range of Sidewood Mappinga releases on the bench at the moment, promising much. This Adelaide Hills producer has been scooping the pool of late, headlined by the bubbles and Shiraz.
This premium oaked Savvy kicks things off and it’s very serious. Handpicked fruit, whole bunch pressed and matured for 8 months in 30% new French oak. Serious. Only challenge is that there is a winemaking and fruit disconnect that makes the experience less than perfect. It smells of creamed asparagus and vanilla bean, the smoothness of the lees and oak a softening agent to what is otherwise an angular, herbal wine. That’s the challenge though – the closer you look, the more vegetative and raw the wine looks, the edges harder than you really want.
How it will taste in another 12 months remains the final question. But for now, it’s not quite enough love, despite the great length.
Best drinking: 2017-2019. 16.8/20, 89/100. 12.5%, $35. Would I buy it? Not quite.
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4 Comments
I reckon you can’t go wrong with the Empirica Fume Blanc from Castelli Estate, for about $28. Price and quality are outstanding.
Everything Castelli is gold. That Il Liris Chardonnay too? Magical
Dog Point Section 94 is still my favourite Fume.
How good is the whole Castelli Range, really underrated winery. Even their estate Chardonnay is cracking… maybe even better than the Ashbrook…. which is one of my go-too’s.
The Sidewood Sav Blanc is pretty good for the $$. Havent had their Fume yet.
Didnt like the Sidewood Pinot 2016 though. Nothing really going on yet (too young)
Seconded on the Dog Point. Top wine that.