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A handful of 2007 sauvignon blancs 23 January 2008
… And how encouraging that more and more producers are holding back their good sauvignons for six months or longer before releasing them.
Wines from Bellingham, Dalla Cia, Elgin Vintners, Hidden Valley, Hillcrest, Paul Cluver, Waterford and Zonnebloem
Bellingham Bellingham, established in 1693 (and originally known as ‘Bellingchamp’ – ‘pretty fields’), claims a number of South African wine industry firsts – the country’s first rosé bottled in 1943, the first extra dry white wine (Premier Grand Cru) in 1951 and the first shiraz in 1956. There’s nothing as grand to boast about when it comes to the 2007 bottling of the Sauvignon Blanc with a dash of Semillon (yes, that’s what appears on the front label) but the marketers, viticulturists and winemakers at this DGB-owned property have delivered a product that will find wide favour. Bottled under screw-cap behind a crisp and attractive label, the wine is a quintessential ‘easy to drink’ sauvignon. It has a readily identifiable varietal nose with capsicum, cut grass and a whiff of ‘sweatiness’, and on the palate brisk cleansing acidity and a hint of lemon waxiness from the 8% semillon addition. With only 1.6g/l residual sugar, the wine is dry, but somehow there’s a suggestion of sweetness, possibly augmented by fresh fruit flavours. Chill well and drink up. – CvZ
• Sauvignon Blanc 2007 R65 AL/TJ 11. 5; CvZ/IM 13 This is the first vintage vinified at the Dalla Cia Wine & Spirit Company’s new premises at Bosman’s Crossing in Stellenbosch. Unfortunately, unlike previous vintages, this bottling didn’t find much favour with the Grape team. We opened both bottles from winemaking duo of Giorgio and son George, but neither mirrored the information accompanying the bottles. This suggested we’d find the wine ‘generous yet refreshing … set apart by its low acidity’ and ‘brimming with gooseberries and asparagus flavours’. TJ and AL think it offers very little at all – practically no aromas or flavours – and that the wine is even a touch ‘dirty’ (possibly spoilt by some less than perfect grapes?). In terms of aromas and flavours I agree, but I do find a distinctive green apple acidity and fine gravel texture on the palate. Short and simple, says IM, but she gets tropical fruit aromas. We suggest you try the wine for yourself, preferably at Pane e Vino, the new food and wine bar situated next to the distillery. – CvZ
Elgin Vintners • Sauvignon Blanc 2007 R65 AL 14.5; IM/TJ 15.5; CvZ 16 Another controversial one. This is the third vintage – or ‘3rd edition’, given the brand’s ‘booky’ image – offered by the six-member team of growers who make up Elgin Vintners. Grapes for this 2007 came from four different vineyards in the Elgin valley, and were vinified separately by Villiera’s Jeff Grier. He avoided lees contact and oak because he didn’t want to mask the various varietal characteristics viticulturist Paul Wallace had worked so hard to achieve. This style of sauvignon is one of my favourites: I find it refreshing and complex with green pepper, wet gravel and blackcurrant-leaf aromas and flavours, and a persistent lemon-pith finish. By contrast, AL finds no complexity or fruit concentration, and is disturbed by its prominent acidity (6,8g/l). The acidity worries TJ too, but IM points to decent underlying fruit adding body and depth to the palate. – CvZ
Hidden Valley • Sauvignon Blanc 2007 R65 (f) 15.5 Trained oenologist Dave Hidden made a sufficiently large fortune in ozone-friendly aerosol gas to allow him to invest heavily in an impressive 200 ton gravity-fed wine cellar, built into the mountain slopes of Stellenbosch’s Helderberg. Warwick’s Louis Nel recently took over the winemaking reins from Kiwi, Chris Kelly (who made this vintage), and the new, energetic Hidden Valley team look set to make and market their three tier range with gusto. Grapes were bought in from the usual cooler south-facing re-planted site in Faure. Just 3% portion were fermented in oak (the rest in the usual stainless steel); then followed a month on the lees. Neither decidedly herbaceous nor tropical, this seriously-styled sauvignon is not too assertive, but refreshing and flinty; while more minerally than fruity, there’s no shortage of underlying fig and gooseberry fruit flavours (though TJ prefers a slightly riper style of sauvignon). Fresh, mouthwatering and well-integrated acidity persists throughout to a vigorous, lime-flavoured finish, all made more appealing by the light touch of the moderate 12.5% alcohol. This screwcapped wine held its own over a few days. You could try it with one of the dishes at Hidden Valley's new restaurant; tasting plates are also paired with the wines. - IM
Hillcrest Sauvignon Blanc 2007 R55 (f) 15.5
Paul Cluver Sauvignon Blanc 2007 R50 (f) 16!!! While some might think it a bit depressing that a wine costing R50 can count as good value – remember it’s a category that involves a relationship between quality and value at any level, really: sauvignons generally sell at a premium because of their fashionability and this is a good wine, better than many at the price, so … another relative bargain from one of the Cape’s best-value and smartest producers. Winemaker Andries Burger knows just how to handle his Elgin fruit. IWell-chosen yeasts are used for fermentation, the wine is kept fruity and fresh by keeping oxygen severely at bay, and four months spent on the lees gives the element of richness and textural feel that adds something important to the expected fresh zing of sauvignon. Not too ripe, not too green, there’s also a feeling of confidence, of completeness about this wine that’s harder to explain – but easy to enjoy. It’s dry along with its full fruit, and the fairly moderate (these days) 13% alcohol is in fine balance. – TJ
Sauvignon Blanc 2007 R65 (f) 16.5 Stellenbosch Tuscan-styled Waterford is as much of a pleasure to visit as their wines generally are to drink – it was recognised last year as one of eight wineries internationally for their exceptional cellar door experience. A pleasant change from many lean and pungent cool-climate sauvignons, this fresh, charming example flaunts perfumed floral aromas and a riper tropical style, while retaining an edgy element of flinty minerality. There’s plenty of zippy acidity to carry the rich passionfruit and lime flavours to a savoury finish, and four months' lees contact adds sufficient weighty mouthfeel and seamless complexity to ensure development in bottle over the next few years. A further plus is that this agile, classy wine is unlikely to brashly assert itself over the dish with which it is partnered. - IM
Sauvignon Blanc Limited Edition 2007 R55 14.5 Aimed at more modern and discriminating wine drinkers than this enduring Distell brand usually attracts, the Limited Edition wines (we’ll review the Semillion and Pinotage shortly) are being released as the first in a range that will vary from vintage to vintage. Veritas judges were clearly impressed with the pungent Sauvignon,giving it a Double Gold medal earlier this year. Intense textbook varietal aromas from predominantly Darling fruit are evident in the herbaceous capsicum/asparagus mould, complemented by a more tropical contribution from separately vinified Stellenbosch grapes. Green apple and granadilla flavours, and a dry chalky texture give the impression of a more serious style, which is bound to be popular in its intended market. Scoring was initially slightly controversial, with CvZ and IM more positive than TJ and AL, who dislike the OTT caricature of this variety, though we all agree fruit concentration is lacking; this shortcoming became more obvious a day later. – IM
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Scoring We continue to partly use the suggestion made by one of our readers: when the panel members' scores are not very close, following discussion, we have not noted a concensus score, but indicated the whole range of scores. (When this does not happen, it can be assumed that the scores were either identical, or close enough that nobody felt strongly about stressing a slight difference of opinion – given that we do not regard scores as scientifically precise, or the most important part of our appraisal of a wine.)
Grape’s interpretation of the 20-point rating scale 0-10: Faulty or just unpleasant 10.5-11.5: Dull, uninteresting but sound 12-13.5: Pleasant enough, decent but basically simple quaffer 14-15.5: Good and enjoyable, but no real excitement 16-16.5 Very good wine, offering something special 17-17.5 Fine and beautiful world-class wine, among the best in SA 18-20 Truly excellent, some even among the world’s finest !!! indicates especially good value
Prices Tasters for these wines
TJ – Tim James IM – Regular guest taster Ingrid Motteux, Cape-based wine consultant; taster for the Platter Guide For more information regarding the tasting procedures, tasters, etc, see the Recent releases contents page
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Dalla Cia
Hillcrest farm
in Durbanville still operates as the headquarters of its shareholders’
engineering company, though today it’s better known for olives and wine.
This year sees former marine biologist Graeme Read launching the
boutique cellar’s sixth vintage. The Atlantic Ocean-cooled, high rocky
slopes are suited to growing a more pungent, assertively racy style of
sauvignon (and also provide a lofty view for their casual
Tuscan-Mediterranean restaurant). Overtly sweaty, dustily herbaceous
aromas combine with concentrated lemon and lime flavours and a firmly
structured, pithy acidity mean a style of sauvignon that is not for the
faint-hearted! Complexity and mouthfeel are enhanced by four months'
lees contact, and a resolute finish bodes well for further development
in bottle. - IM
Waterford
Zonnebloem