Stefano Lubiana Sauvignon Blanc 2022: Tasting Notes

WINE STYLE → Elegant & herbal

A benchmark biodynamic Sauvignon Blanc from Stefano Lubiana’s Derwent Valley estate, showing a more refined, textural side of the variety. It carries gooseberry, fig, ripe stone fruit, melon and fresh asparagus, with crisp acidity, subtle lees weight and a calm savoury finish. The 2022 release earned 95 points from Huon Hooke at The Real Review, who praised its balance, harmony and benchmark quality.

Highlights

• Certified organic, certified biodynamic and vegan suitable
• Crafted by Stefano Lubiana — Tasmania’s first and only certified biodynamic vineyard
• Gooseberry, fig, stone fruit, melon, fresh asparagus, dried herbs and crisp acidity
• 100% estate-grown Sauvignon Blanc from a single Derwent Valley block
• 95 Points — Huon Hooke, The Real Review; previous review also includes 91 Points — Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
• 13.0% ABV

Tasting Notes

This is Sauvignon Blanc with texture and restraint rather than loud tropical volume. The nose shows gooseberry and fig, with straw, hay, dried herb and blond tobacco nuance noted in review. The palate is dry and finely balanced, opening with crisp acidity before moving into ripe stone fruit, melon and a savoury finish touched by fresh asparagus. Lees work and careful oak use add texture, while the wine stays clean, bright and elegant.

Winemaking

This Sauvignon Blanc is handled with more detail than a simple stainless-steel style. Around 70% is fermented and stored in stainless steel, 20% is fermented and stored in Austrian oak foeder, and 10% is fermented and stored in seasoned oak cask. The wine is aged for eight months before blending and bottling after cross-flow filtration, giving it freshness, texture and subtle savoury complexity.

Vineyard & Vintage

The fruit is 100% estate-grown Sauvignon Blanc from a single block in Stefano Lubiana’s certified biodynamic Derwent Valley vineyard. The site sits on a mix of grey gravelly loam over gravel and red loam over old riverbed, giving the wine both mineral detail and palate shape. The 2022 release is 13.0% ABV, dry, with approximately 2 g/L residual sugar and less than 1 gram of sugar per 100mL.

Why We Love It

This is a wonderful reminder that Sauvignon Blanc can be elegant, savoury and age-worthy when grown in the right place and treated with care. It has the crispness people love in the variety, but the fig, hay, stone fruit and lees texture make it more dinner-table than poolside. Biodynamic, vegan suitable and 95-point rated, it is a smart bottle for drinkers who want Sauvignon Blanc with polish.

Food Pairing

With gooseberry, fig, stone fruit, asparagus and crisp acidity, this Sauvignon Blanc suits green vegetables, seafood, goat’s cheese, herbs and dishes with citrus or gentle creaminess. The savoury edge also works beautifully with spring vegetables and lighter white meats.

Try matching this wine with →

• Asparagus, pea and goat’s cheese tart — Find a Recipe
• Grilled prawns with lemon and herbs — Find a Recipe
• Herb-roasted chicken with green beans — Find a Recipe

Mood or occasion to match this wine…

Pour it for seafood lunches, spring vegetable tarts, roast chicken or a polished white before dinner when you want Sauvignon Blanc that is fresh, savoury and quietly sophisticated.

Cellaring

Drink now to 2027. Stefano Lubiana gives this Sauvignon Blanc a 3–5 year cellaring window, and the acidity, lees texture and savoury fruit profile should hold nicely over the short to medium term. Store cool, dark and stable.

Producer

Stefano Lubiana is based in Granton in Tasmania’s Derwent Valley, where Steve and Monique Lubiana have built one of Australia’s leading biodynamic wine estates. The vineyard has been farmed biodynamically since 2010 and is recognised as Tasmania’s first and only certified biodynamic vineyard. The estate avoids synthetic treatments, additives and pesticides, working with soil regeneration, seasonal rhythms, wild yeasts and careful cellar techniques such as foeder, seasoned oak and gravity flow to make wines with elegance and a clear Tasmanian identity.

Related Wines To Try →

If you enjoy biodynamic cool-climate whites with savoury freshness and texture, these are lovely bottles to explore next:

• Same producer, 94-point Riesling with lime, green apple and crushed-stone drive — Stefano Lubiana Riesling
• Same producer, textural Pinot Gris with pear, quince and savoury grip — Stefano Lubiana Pinot Gris
• Organic Cowra Sauvignon Blanc with passionfruit, gooseberry and green herbs — Pig In The House Sauvignon Blanc

FAQ

What does Stefano Lubiana Sauvignon Blanc 2022 taste like?

It tastes refined and savoury, with gooseberry, fig, ripe stone fruit, melon and fresh asparagus. Review notes also mention straw, hay, dried herbs and blond tobacco, which gives the wine a more complex edge than many tropical Sauvignon Blanc styles. The palate is crisp, textural and clean.

Is this Sauvignon Blanc dry or sweet?

This is a dry white wine, with approximately 2 g/L residual sugar and less than 1 gram of sugar per 100mL. The fruit can show a small impression of softness, but the finish is clean and savoury. It is not a sweet Sauvignon Blanc.

What is the body and acidity like?

The body is medium for Sauvignon Blanc, with texture from lees work and oak fermentation. Acidity is crisp and lively, giving the wine its freshness and front-palate lift. It has more shape than a very lean, simple stainless-steel Sauvignon Blanc.

Does this wine contain preservatives or sulphites?

This is a certified organic and certified biodynamic Sauvignon Blanc, not a No Added Preservative wine. It may contain sulphites, as most wines do, and organic/biodynamic wines are made to lower allowable sulphur limits than conventional wines. It is vegan suitable.

How should I serve Stefano Lubiana Sauvignon Blanc?

Serve chilled at around 8–10°C in a standard white wine glass. No decanting is needed, but a few minutes in the glass helps the fig, stone fruit and herbal detail open. Avoid serving it ice-cold if you want the texture to show.

What food pairs well with this Sauvignon Blanc?

It pairs beautifully with asparagus tart, prawns, grilled fish, goat’s cheese, roast chicken, green vegetables and herb-led salads. The acidity suits seafood and citrus, while the savoury herbal notes work with asparagus, fennel and spring vegetables. For a vegetarian match, try an asparagus, pea and goat’s cheese tart.

Can this Sauvignon Blanc be cellared?

Yes, it can be cellared short-term. Drink now to 2027 for a balance of freshness, texture and savoury development. The producer gives the wine a 3–5 year cellaring window.

Is Stefano Lubiana Sauvignon Blanc vegan friendly?

Yes, this wine is vegan suitable. It is also certified organic and certified biodynamic. It is a strong choice for drinkers wanting Sauvignon Blanc with serious farming credentials and a more refined cool-climate expression.

Who will enjoy this wine the most?

This is ideal for drinkers who enjoy Sauvignon Blanc with texture, herbal detail and crisp acidity rather than overt passionfruit sweetness. If you like Sauvignon Blanc, cool-climate Semillon Sauvignon blends or savoury biodynamic whites, this will suit you well. It is more restrained and food-focused than many Marlborough-style Sauvignon Blancs.

Is this wine keto friendly?

Yes, this is a dry, low-sugar white wine with approximately 2 g/L residual sugar and less than 1 gram of sugar per 100mL. It can suit many keto-conscious drinkers looking for a premium biodynamic white. Alcohol still contributes calories, so enjoy it mindfully as part of your broader plan.

(SKU: SL_SBl_CV)