What I Drank Last Night

Sauvignon Blanc from Darling, Durbanville and Elim has generated all the hype in recent times but it would be short-sighted to overlook the ward that gave us the seemingly immortal Klein Constantia 1986 as made by the late Ross Gower. Proof that Constantia can still hack it two decades on comes in the shape of [...]

Why has Lars Maack, owner of Constantia property Buitenverwachting, removed his Riesling vineyards just when interest in what can be done with the variety locally finally seems to be reaching a meaningful level? To answer the question a bottle of his Rhine Riesling 2006 next to Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 2005 from the [...]

For all the real or perceived shortcomings of Sauvingon Blanc, it works pretty well as an aperitif after a day on the beach. Two highly acclaimed examples recently were the Delaire 2009, which not only placed among the winners of the 2009 Top 10 competition but was also rated 5 Stars in the now defunct [...]

While waiting for the Woolies free range chicken to cook on the Weber last night, two examples of Sauvignon Blanc presenting a stark contrast in styles. The Oak Valley 2010 (including 2% Semillon according to Platter’s 2012 and about 3% wild fermented in barrel) was lean to the point of angular. A shy nose before [...]

When this wine came up for review in the FNB Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 competition at the end of September, it divided the panel on account of the love-it-or-hate-it mercaptan-induced “sweatiness”. This character seems much less in evidence now and I’m inclined to like it quite a bit more than I did then. A totally [...]

Hint of Durbanville gravel road dustiness as well as some fynbos on the nose. Weightless intensity and fresh but not too fresh acidity. Lime and white peach flavours initially before subtle pyrazine piquancy on the finish. This was among the winning wines in the 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 competition where I scored it 17/20. [...]

Last Friday, a visit to Franschhoek cellar La Motte. Total production is some 70 000 cases, half of which is standard-label Sauvignon Blanc. A multi-regional blend if ever there was one, the 2011 consists of fruit from Franschhoek (30%), Elgin (15%), Walker Bay (10%), Nieuwoudtville (10%), Darling and West Coast (10%), Durbanville (10%), Stellenbosch (10%) [...]

With judging for the FNB Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 competition due to take place this week, I felt compelled to do a bit of benchmarking and hence a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc 2009 from Elim producer The Berrio, this wine having rated 5 Stars in Platter’s 2011. Still amazingly primary but very much at the [...]

The fifth annual Top 10 Sauvignon Blanc competition will be held under the auspices of the producer organisation known as the Sauvignon Blanc Interest Group now that originator Wine magazine is no longer.  Sponsorship is provided by First National Bank. Judging takes place on 27, 28 and 29 September with me chairing the panel and [...]

Is local Sauvignon Blanc too “green”? Not if you’re Novak Djokovic of Serbia, who munched down on some of the grass on Wimbledon centre court yesterday after beating Spain’s Rafael Nadal in the men’s single final.