2021 Fumé Blanc

This one’s got a bit of a yarn behind it. The first time I made Fumé Blanc was back in 2012 down in Tassie, and it left a mark. I’d been itching to give it another crack ever since — but this time, I did it my way.

Fruit came in from one of our vineyard partners, and I took a big swing: filled a single 500L puncheon with dirty juice straight off the press — no enzyme, no settling, all the good gunky stuff — and treated it just like I would a full-bodied Chardonnay. Ferment was hot, stinky and wild, just the way it should be, and then the wine hung out on gross lees while vintage chaos unfolded around it.

And here’s the kicker — when it came time to bring it home, I had no tank, no cube, no plan. So I strapped the full barrel onto my trailer and drove it 2200km back to Brisbane. No fancy freight, just me, a barrel, and a lot of road. Once back at the shed, it got parked in the corner and left to its own devices for another five months before going to tank to settle. Bottled unfined, unfiltered, cork finish, wax seal — because this is the real deal. A one-off. A bit rare. Something I’m proud of.

In the glass, it’s not your average Sauv Blanc. Forget the grassy stuff — this is all about texture. It’s savoury, rich, and satisfying. Aromatically, it throws out basil, blackcurrant leaf, maybe even a bit of struck match if you catch it on the right day. The palate is creamy and layered, with enough acid to keep it lifted, but the real magic is in the mouthfeel — full, grippy, and just begging to be paired with food.

Best served not too cold — let it open up a bit. Take your time with it. This isn’t a smash-it-back wine. It’s a sit, sip, and nod slowly kind of experience.

– Roast chicken with garlic and herbs — simple, classic, and it lets the wine shine.
– Basil pesto linguine with shaved pecorino — the herbal notes in the wine absolutely sing with pesto.
– Pan-fried fish with beurre blanc or a lemony caper sauce — rich on rich with just enough zip.
– Or go fancy: scallops with cauliflower purée and crispy pancetta — this wine can handle the white tablecloths if it has to.