Heyhi.
Evidently, I'm a sucker for a good glass of wine...well partially because I spent a good number of years of my life in Stellenbosch. I specifically love white wine, particularly Sauvignon Blanc. I was delighted to here there is a South African Sauvignon Blanc Interest Group (SBIG) they recently lauded the best Sav Blanc wines. A pity Watekloof did not make the top 10 but I'll make it a point to sample all of these. Here is more info and the top 10. CHEERS!
MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release 13
September 2012
RAISE YOUR GLASS TO FNB’S TOP 10
SAUVIGNON BLANC COMPETITION WINNERS
Ten superb Sauvignon
Blanc wines were lauded today (Thursday, 13 September) when the results of the
2012 FNB Top 10 Sauvignon Blanc competition were announced. The competition, presented by the Sauvignon
Blanc Interest Group of South Africa (SBIG) with sponsorship provided by FNB,
celebrates the quality, diversity and regionality of this white wine cultivar
which has over the last decade become South Africa’s favourite white grape
variety.
Five experienced judges
had the challenging task of tasting 195 entered wines (compared to 169 in 2011)
in order to first select the Top 20 and then to whittle it down to the
exclusive group of 10, representing the wines that the judges agreed showed the
most distinctive features of South African Sauvignon Blanc, while maintaining
elegance, clean fruit expression and overall balance.
The 2012 winners (7 from
the 2012 vintage and 3 from 2011) are:
· Clos Malverne 2011
De Morgenzon DMZ 2012
Diemersdal MM Louw 2011 (wooded)
Driehoek 2012
Du Toitskloof 2012
Groote Post 2012
Lomond Pincushion 2011
Neethlingshof Single Vineyard 2012
Simonsig Sunbird 2012
Virgin Earth Pepper Tree 2012
“The Sauvignon Blanc Top
10 competition was initiated to promote innovation and excellence and we undoubtedly
found those characteristics in these ten wines,” says judging panel chairperson
and wine writer Christian Eedes.
“The fact that the ten winning wines originate from very different producing
areas including Cape Agulhas, Breedekloof, Cederberg, Darling,
Durbanville, Elgin, Langeberg-Garcia and Stellenbosch gives a clear indication
that South Africa’s great diversity of macro and micro climates allow for a broad
range of Sauvignon Blanc styles.”
According to Eedes,
Sauvignon Blanc lovers can choose between a wide spectrum of flavour profiles
and wine styles, including green and herbaceous, yellow fruit/tropical fruit, flinty
and mineral, blackcurrant and elderberry, or wines that have been subjected to
some oak, either being barrel fermented or matured. “Obviously, some of these are more mainstream
and others more esoteric, with ‘green’ and ‘fruity’ being the most prevalent,” he
says.
Eedes was joined by Miguel Chan, sommelier for the
Tsogo Sun hotel group, Richard Kershaw MW of Richard Kershaw Wines, Mark
Norrish, general manager of the Ultra Liquors wine division and Erika Obermeyer
of Graham Beck Wines and chairperson of SBIG.
Panellist Erika Obermeyer’s
general impression of this year’s entries is that a significant shift in style
from greener (pyrazine-derived) flavours towards more tropical fruit
(thiol-derived) flavours was evident. “I suspect that winemakers endeavoured to
attain greater drinkability in this way,” she says. “Ultimately however it
should be about the balance and synergy between these two compounds.”
Mark Norrish indicated
some concern about the ultra-green flavours in some wines which can correspond
to ultra-acidity. “Consumers are increasingly coming out against Sauvignon
Blanc’s high acidity and producers can head this off by adding Semillon up to
the 15% maximum level. This not only
softens the acidity but adds another dimension to the wine,” Norrish explains.
Several esther-driven
wines (very pretty but destined to be short-lived) performed well. According to Richard Kershaw these wines
inevitably show very well when young but do tend to lose their fruit rather
quickly. “Wine lovers should be advised to drink and enjoy sooner than later.”
“The wines featuring more
oxidative handling, extended lees contact and oak fermentation and maturation definitely
have a part to play but would always remain niche and appeal to a small segment
of the market,” indicates Kershaw.
According to Francois Marais, Head of Agriculture at FNB,
competition most often brings out the best performances in an industry. “The FNB
Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 competition encourages the creation of superb wines and
promotes a cultivar despite times of difficult financial challenges on the
local and international front.”
An FNB Top 10 Sauvignon
Blanc pack, including one bottle of each of the winning wines, will be sold
through the Wade Bales Wine Society in limited quantities, as some of the wines
in the Top 10 were produced in very small volumes.
Contact the Sauvignon
Blanc Interest Group (SBIG) for any further information on the 2012 FNB Top 10
Sauvignon Blanc Competition:
Pieter de Waal
Secretary: SBIG
+27 (0)83 357 3864
E-mail: sbig@dw.co.za
ENDS
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