Parker Estate SBW King Kong Fumé Blanc 2022

Fascinating stuff here. First, what on earth are we supposed to expect with a wine named ‘King Kong’? The resurrection of the description, ‘Fumé Blanc’ is also interesting. The team note how the wine is inspired by the Sancerre styles from the Loire Valley, but it was Californian Robert Mondavi who adopted this name for his Sauvignon Blanc, when it was ‘worked’, often seeing time in oak rather than the usual simple tank fermented/aged style. The fruit here has come from a single vineyard at Kongorong, to the southwest of Mt Gambier. Fermentation is in open fermenters, off skins. The winemaking involves ‘oxidative treatment, natural malolactic fermentation and maturation in French oak for 7 months’ with maturation on lees. A very pale green/yellow. This is Sauvignon Blanc but not as you know it. Notes of citrus, lemon curd and a minerally backing, the wine is tightly structured yet offers a lovely pillowy texture. A wine of medium length, already exhibiting some complexity, enjoy it over the next three to five years.