Mitchell Harris Sauvignon Blanc Fume 2010 (Pyrenees, Vic)
12.5%, Screwcap, $19.95
Source: Sample
www.mitchellharris.com.au

The winemaking half of Mitchell Harris (John Harris) spent a considerable amount of his recent career at the Yarra Valley sparkling megaplex Domaine Chandon, an influence I think is clearly evident here. It is, quite simply, as far away from the Australian Sauvignon Blanc idiom as you can get, and is all the more interesting for it.

This wine does – however – need some time. Even after a solid 24 hours it looked a little raw and lean, even though leanness is part of the style. You can tell that restraint from the very first whiff, with a dumb, overwhelmingly neutral nose of lemon juice, white flowers, a hint of wheat beer/porridge old oak and more lemon. Painfully neutral. The palate though, wow, it’s a textural tour de force. Layers upon finely textured layer, pointed by tangy, citrussy acidity, and some rather impressive length.

If anything though this wines best years are ahead of it. There is still a rawness to that palate, a freshly bottled bite that clearly needs time to settle. It’s itching for aging. But no hiding the interest here. Good value too. 17.8/92++