Like it or not, Sauvignon Blanc remains the country’s first choice wine for summer. Cool, crisp, calm and collected – a Sauvvie is great to sip on and doesn’t go to badly with lots of summery/seafood dishes as well. Try these few I’ve been tasting recently.
Asara Vineyard Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2013 R60
This comes from a single vineyard block, the oldest one on Asara’s Polkadraai Hills estate. Winemaker Francois Joubert is making a massive difference to this farm, winning award after award for his wines and justly so, in my opinion. 3 months lees contact has added some richness to the fresh zesty lemon/lime/passion fruit flavours and I love this price as well – you could pay far more for far less wine than this.
First Sighting Sauvignon Blanc 2013 R64
Is Elim the most exciting wine region in SA at the moment??? When it comes to Sauvignon, there are many who think it is including Jancis (‘we are not worth’) Robinson. Actually, I must say that this wine is a total over-deliverer on price considering the work that’s gone into it. There’s 15% Semillon in there and it’s had 6 months lees contact as well and the result is a blast of pure, clean fruit with racy acidity and a lengthy finish.
Boplaas Bobbejaanberg Sauvignon Blanc 2013 R75
Cool-climate Sauvignon grown in the Karoo – are you nuts? Absolutely not, because what makes this one of the coolest places in SA to grow grapes is the altitude. This is from the Bo-Langkloof in the Outeniqua mountains and is named for the marauding baboons who reluctantly share the fruit with the Nel family. Crisp and vibrant with lots of leafy greenness, this was one of the best surprises I’ve had recently – loved it.
Plaisir de Merle Sauvignon Blanc 2013 R90
A nice mix of Simonsberg and Darling fruit has combined well to create this very pleasurable wine which has lots of layers of fruit and good depth of flavour. Niel Bester celebrated his 20th year in charge at this lovely old estate last year and continues to produce elegant, fresh, aromatic Sauvignons which will only get better and better if you can bear to wait another year or so.
Avontuur Sarabande Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2013 R104
This is named after one of the top mares in the Avontuur stud and it seems fitting that she is remembered in this racy, nippy little number as apparently she was quite a competitor in her day. This wine has spent some time in oak but it’s very subtle and gentle, just adding hints of roundness and cream to the herbaceous and vegetal notes. Definitely one of the better food partners in this line-up.
Boschendal Elgin Sauvignon Blanc 2012 R195
A foray into the heights of Elgin seems to be paying off nicely for Boschendal’s winemaker Lizelle Gerber. Her Pinot Noir is equally toothsome and this has all the hallmarks of the long, slow, cool ripening period which characterised the 2012 vintage. A year older than the other wines, it’s not showing its age at all except as just a teeny hint of richness to the citrus and tropical fruit. Good with salmon.