Rowlee Single Vineyard Fumé Blanc 2021

The Orange region is known for its high altitude, cool climate-edged Chardonnay, but spare a thought for Sauvignon Blanc. It sings in this part of the world, too. And, as Rowlee defines the grape, it can bring complexity and some of that forementioned regional edge to a fumé style. The result is an inviting, sophisticated personality courtesy of partial barrel fermentation – in keeping with the fumé or smoky style of sauvignon – with gentle green bean, beeswax, nettle and citrus scents. Acidity is clean and juicy to taste alongside a punchy, light herbal overlay of gooseberry and citrus. And there’s an attractive textural quality, too, which sets it up nicely with a range of seafood. The secret to enjoying this wine fully is not to overchill. If you do, you’ll over-promote that cool climate racy acidity at the expense of some fine delicacy.

Jeni Port

Wine critic at Winepilot

Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.

Wine writer and critic