The Lane Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc often walks a tightrope between über fresh, and herbal, and edging into the world of tropical fruits. In a good, strong vintage like 2023 you get a little bit of each and both work in tune together. Aromas of snow pea and gooseberry combine and mesh with grapefruit, passionfruit with the added piquancy, vibrancy of passionfruit pulp. Certainly grabs your attention. The sunny, juicy Sauvignon works well on the palate with some subtle herbal interplay bolstered by tropical passionfruit lift and pithy bite. Nothing is overstated or too loud. It has to be said, there is also a touch of sweetness. Residual sugar sits at 4.5g/L. I suspect it’s directly in response to some high-ish acidity, the result of a long, cool season. That balance of sweetness and acidity works in the mouth, enlivens the tastebuds and presents a pretty smart wine.

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