Tempus Two Sauvignon Blanc 2016
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Backed by four generations of winemaking heritage, Tempus Two is a cutting-edge Australian winery that does things ‘just a little bit differently’. From its spiritual home in the Hunter Valley, Australia’s oldest wine region, Tempus Two sources fruit from Australia’s premium vineyard regions to craft wines with both substance and style.
Tempus Two’s approach is simple: the best regions, the best varieties. The winery pays homage to classic Australian varieties and styles by growing vines in unique Australian regions like Hunter Valley, Barossa Valley, Langhorne Creek and the Adelaide Hills.
Tempus Two was founded in 1997 by one of Australia’s most iconic and revered wine families, the McGuigans, whose winemaking history dates back four generations to 1860. McGuigan Wines is a force in the international wine world, recently being crowned International Winemaker of the Year at the 2016 International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) in London.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
Most admired for citrus-driven, mineral-rich and often age-worthy Semillon wines, Hunter Valley is one of Australia’s oldest wine regions and was home to its very first commercial vineyards. The region’s warm summer nights coupled with autumn cloud cover and cool sea breezes allow full ripening and healthy acidity levels for Semillon; its diverse soils of volcanic basalt and white alluvial sands promote the development of Semillon’s delicate aromas. Hunter Valley Semillons can certainly be enjoyed in their youth but with 10 to 20 years in the cellar, the best examples develop intriguing notes of honey, browned butter and roasted nuts.
Chardonnay and Shiraz also do well in Hunter Valley.