2020 Silver Lining, Sauvignon Blanc, Adelaide Hills, South Australia
£19.95, reduced to £17.95 by the case, greatwine.co.uk
Marty Edwards started his working life as an elite navy clearance diver. He then moved from special ops to working at his family vineyard, The Lane in the Adelaide Hills, where his wines won countless awards and legions of fans.
With 20 years of experience as a specialist viticulturalist, last year Marty struck out on his own, releasing a trio of scintillating wines under his new Silver Lining label.
Marty uses specific parcels of vines in the Hills and overlays them with the elegance and control found in the finest of European wine styles. My featured 2020 sauvignon blanc is as sophisticated and refreshing as any Loire superstar’s creation and, in addition, there is a 2020 chardonnay and 2020 shiraz available, too.
The sauvignon has the flavour silhouette of a Pouilly-Fumé, and the chardonnay is reminiscent of an infinitely detailed Premier Cru Chablis. His shiraz could not be further from the traditional Australian model, given it treads the boards between a crisp, nervy Crozes and a mineral-soaked Morgon. I have been given a sneak preview of the 2021 whites, too, and it is clear that this is a label to follow.
Marty was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2012, and in 2018 he embarked on cutting-edge treatment, undergoing a complex deep-brain stimulation operation. Sales of these terrific wines support Parkinson’s research and this vinous trio is a testament to his considerable talent.
Matthew Jukes is a winner of the International Wine & Spirit Competition’s Communicator of the Year (MatthewJukes.com)