The dynamic partnership of cousins Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith MW began in 1989 when the duo decided to realise their dream of making wine together. A talent for wine runs in this family, with Martin honing his craft at the University of Bordeaux, and Michael being the first Australian to pass the notoriously difficult Master of Wine exams in 1988.
Since founding Shaw + Smith, their goal has been to make exciting, refined wines, exclusively from the Adelaide Hills, that rank among Australia’s best. The wines are made from several sites throughout the region and they specialise in grape varieties suited to the cooler climate, namely Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz.
The fruit for this Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from certified organic vineyards Balhannah and Lenswood, complemented by parcels of fruit from carefully selected, quality growers. Balhannah Vineyard is 35 hectares, planted predominantly to Sauvignon Blanc and close-planted Shiraz on a property surrounding the winery at 340 – 380m elevation. The soil is free draining, sandy loam over red clay with underlying quartzite and shale, with varying amounts of ironstone pebbles.
