Elgin Vintners Sauvignon Blanc

100% Sauvignon Blanc

WO: Elgin

Terroir Elgin is the coolest wine region in South Africa. The benefit of cooler climates is that the grape cluster stays connected to its roots for longer, developing more characteristics and achieving physiological ripeness more gradually with lower sugar levels and consequently lower alcohols. The resultant wines leave one with an impression of delicacy, but also power and insistence over warmer-climate examples, which show bolder but less-persistent flavours. The vineyards have an altitude of 305 m, which makes this the 4th highest elevation in South Africa, considering that we are also next to the cold Atlantic ocean this has a profound influence on day/night temperatures, prevailing south-easterly winds. The South-Easter can bring a cooling respite to the vineyards of Elgin it can also bring extensive cloud cover that gets restricted by the mountains and extends back over the region, meaning that not only is sunlight blocked out but temperatures are also reduced and the ripening of grapes is slowed. In extreme cases, about four to five times a year, the wind is strong enough and the clouds thick enough to enable precipitation known locally as a Black South-Easter, dumping quite large amounts of rain often throughout the day. On top of this, on calmer warmer days, cool coastal breezes get sucked in from the sea as the warmed land air begins to rise which reduces the temperature very quickly in the afternoon and into the night. This helps maintain the acid levels in the grapes, leading to an extended ripening period on the vine with natural balance and complex and powerful flavours.

Viticulture Tucking in the growing shoots between the wires is done frequently during the growing season. Also, suckering is done twice during the growing season, in early November and January. This Sauvignon blanc vineyard has a huge canopy that ensures dappled sunlight in the bunch zones which ensures the preservation of all the grape-derived aroma precursors. Two clones 316 and 317 were used for this wine.

Vinification Grapes are handpicked and delivered to the cellar in 20kg picking crates before 11h00. This ensures grapes are cool to prevent oxidation. Destemmed and crushed berries spend 4 hours under dry ice in the press for skin contact. Thereafter, free-run juice is drained to the fermentation vessels and the press cycle starts. Fermentation is done in concrete eggs and stainless steel. Variation of ferments includes wild yeast, co-inoculations, and inoculations using French yeast for fruit expression. After fermentation, wine is racked from the gross lees and aged on the fine lees for 6 months.

Recommendation The most versatile wine when it comes to food pairings. From salads to seafood and peas to pavlovas. Cheeses that pair well with this wine are Fontina, Brie, Swiss, Feta, Gouda, and Gruyère, and add fresh herb Hummus with spring vegetables to make a perfect platter.

Alc: 14.50% Residual Sugar: 2.00 Acidity: 6.00 pH: 3.25