2023 Suckfizzle Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Margaret River

Such a good wine with its smoky charm, texture and savoury palate thanks to some parcels of fruit fermented in barrel with regular lees stirring. It’s a contained wine though, as nothing is overt or dominating, with great balance of fruit to acidity and phenolics. It’s delicious, complex and compelling.

95 points Special Value Jane Faulkner winecompanion.com.au

Suckfizzle Sauvignon Blanc Semillon from Margaret River is a bold, structured and age-worthy take on this classic regional blend. Produced by Stella Bella Wines, the Suckfizzle range represents their flagship, single-vineyard expressions, and this wine in particular is one of the most distinctive white blends in Western Australia. Drawing on Bordeaux inspiration but shaped by Margaret River’s maritime climate, it’s a wine of concentration, texture and real longevity.

Fruit is sourced from the Suckfizzle vineyard in Augusta, one of the region’s southernmost and coolest sites, just kilometres from the Southern Ocean. Sauvignon Blanc dominates the blend, typically supported by a smaller portion of Semillon. Both varieties are wild fermented in French oak barrels, with regular bâtonnage to build mid-palate weight and complexity. The result is a wine with the energy of Sauvignon and the gravitas of Semillon.

On the nose it shows lifted aromatics of lime leaf, white peach, lemongrass, grilled grapefruit and a subtle flinty edge. The palate is layered and textural, with citrus oil, green fig, almond meal and a savoury, smoky note from the oak. There’s drive and length, with taut acidity and a finish that’s salty, dry and mouth-coating.

Food pairing: perfect with grilled marron, roast chicken with tarragon, fish pie, or lemon and caper-crusted veal. Also excellent with aged cheddar or scallops in brown butter.

Cellar potential: built to age. While expressive now, it will evolve beautifully over 10 to 15 years, gaining complexity, honeyed notes and lanolin richness.