Buying guide: Sauvignon Blanc
It's best known for being with Sauvignon Blanc, but also producers full-bodied, dry white wine that makes their own statement. Fiona McDonald reports of Sémillon.
The Oxford Companion to Wine records that in 1822 93% of all vine plantings in South Africa was Sémillon. It was so common that it was simply referred to as “wyndruif” or wine grape.
It is known to blend well with Sauvignon Blanc, filling out the lean, acidic grape with a fatness, adding more body and fullness. And where would the elegant sweet wines of Sauternes be without this vital component?Graves and Pessac-Leognan produce the best example of long-lived dry whites and “inspire rich, golden, honeyed, viscous wines quite unlike any Sémillons made elsewhere,” as Oxford puts it.
The other region associated with it is Australia where it was mistakenly known as Hunter Valley Riesling before being correctly identified as Sémillon in the '80s.
Some years ago Franschhoek Vignerons decided to make a stand and adopt it as “their grape”.
At the time it was voguish to adopt a varietal and establish a regional identity for producing the best wines – such as Constantia with their reputation for making good Sauvignon Blanc.
Fledgling producer organisations were also popping up like mushrooms. So it was really no surprise to see how the Franschhoek valley's winemakers dominated the lineup of 24 wines assembled for the category tasting.
Unashamedly commercial in his outlook, Cape Wine Master Allan Mullins described this month's tasting as presenting “a helluva interesting category”.
Chairing the panel this month he said the ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) lobby was always on the lookout for something different to focus their attention on – and Sémillon was a wine that presented another option.
But a common thread running through each panellist's synopsis was the confusion as to whether the wines measured up to what was expected of a Sémillon.
According to the literature it's known for its rich fruit, with some waxy, lanolin character but can present a certain amount of grassiness when made in cooler climates.
Australia's Hunter Valley is acknowledged as producing the best examples of this underrated grape, so locally based Oz winemaker Ben Radford of Winecorp was in a good position to judge.
“The whole way through I kept asking myself 'what is Sémillon?' – and many of these wines I would have scored highly as fumé blanc, but not necessarily as Sémillons.
He found many of the wines a bit thin with not much on the mid-palate, lacking a bit of structure and finishing a little short.
“It was apparent that they were missing a certain leesy character so were reliant on wood. And a few were buggered up by wood.”
Both he and fellow winemaker Adi Badenhorst of Rustenberg found evidence of overcropping.
“I'm a bit concerned – and would love to know – how much Sauvignon Blanc has been added to some of these wines,” Radford said.
Cape Wine Master and fellow panellist Sue van Wyk agreed. “A lot of them had that really Sauvignon tinned pea character – which I would have picked as a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.”
“An aged Marlborough Sauvignon,” Adi chipped in.
While the panel may have appeared overly critical, when asked by chairman Allan Mullins whether there was a future for this varietal there was an overwhelming yes vote.
“Absolutely, without a doubt – no question,” was the unanimous chorus.
“Guaranteed if we'd had a lineup of say, 20 Rieslings or something else, we wouldn't feel the same way,” Sue van Wyk commented.
“There's a lot of promise shown.”
Although an avowed Pinotage fan she admitted to being quite excited after tasting the range.
“What a pleasure! There were very few duds among these wines. The only thing that bothered me was the amount of sulphur on some of them.
“I was looking for a wine that's not a Chardonnay lookalike – or a Sauvignon Blanc lookalike – something that's the best of both while still retaining its individuality.
“You get a nice one with oak – it tends toward the buttery side. As a lineup this was a lovely range.”
Adi Badenhorst agreed with Ben, saying he found the wines generally pretty thin and short.
“They had low acid or too much racy acid. A few of the nicest ones had been wooded – but some producers had been a bit overzealous in their use of wood and it dominated an otherwise good wine.
“I generally felt a number of these needed a bit more extract.”
Honorary member of the Institute of Cape Winemasters Colin Frith said he would be very interested to find out which wines were tasted.
He added a different perspective, having been on WINE magazine's panel when Sémillon was tasted a few years ago.
He commented on the Sauvignon Blanc “tinned pea” aroma which some tasters had found, saying that was indicative of a clonal character. Newer Sémillon clones don't impart that to the wine.
He also pointed out that the flatness and thinness which the two winemakers on the panel referred to was an indication of a hot harvest.
“The winemakers have then battled to do acid correction. The interesting thing to see is that everyone is trying quite hard to make good Sémillon.”
Colin's experience on the panel when tasting Sémillon a few years back enabled him to comment on the improvement in quality.
“Two years ago we had a lot of water and just one or two good wines, so this is really exciting.”
Mullins concurred, but was as pragmatic and commercial as ever: “I get really excited about Sémillon but selling it is difficult.”
On the topic of ageing Radford was forthright.
“As a group I wouldn't age these. They lack extract and concentration. They're drinking well now.”
TASTING NOTES
Boschendal Jean le Long 1999
RESTAURANT PRICE: R42.97
Dazzling green-gold. Rich buttery nose showing loads of slightly smoky oak, all following onto the palate. Lovely fruit with coffee, spice and some sweet-sour flavours with hints of peaches, almonds and apricots. Good varietal character - a rich, round food wine. Drink within a year or 2.
Rickety Bridge 1999
CELLAR PRICE: R35
Green straw colour. Super clean bouquet with nettle and fynbos scents. Some honey and waxiness on finely balanced oak and crisp acid. Oak still dominates slightly. A promising wine. Another 2 to 3 years of life.
Fairview Oom Pagel 1999
CELLAR PRICE: R50
A range of bright yellow. Strong toast and butterscotch bouquet. Full, ripe fruit: lemon and lime with butter and spice from the oak; a touch of honey. Seamless structure. Another promising wine for drinking within 2 years.
Fairview 1999
CELLAR PRICE: R30
Greeny-gold. A Chardonnay look-alike: shy oaky nose with some mango and honey whiffs. Good, mouth-coating fruit on a crisp palate offering lime, quince and wood flavours. Complex, well balanced wine - enjoy within 2 years.
Count Agusta 1999
CELLAR PRICE: R30
Psychedelic green. Strong bouquet of sweet pea and chickpea, hinting of honey and botrytis. Sweet entry following onto a strong acidic sweet-sour finish. Ripe, rich and very tangy. Some bottle age showing but will last a good 2 years.
Steenberg 1999
CELLAR PRICE: R32
Medium gold. Sweet pea and tinned pea esters with floral and peppery spice overtones and a touch of cabbage. Some grassy character. Lovely clean flavour of gooseberries. Enjoy within 2 years.
TASTING NOTES
Rijk's 2000
CELLAR PRICE: R36
Deep yellow-gold. Toast and butter showing first on the nose with a lovely mix of green and citrus fruits. Highly extracted: ripe fruit slightly dominated by powerful vanilla oak leading to almonds and hazelnut. Fruit may emerge with time. Allow another 2 years.
Babbling Brook Grand Vin Blanc 1999
PRICE: R17.99 ††
Yellow gold hue. Lanolin, beeswax and hints of citrus following onto the palate. Good depth of flavour, although the oak dominates slightly. Toasty hazelnut finish. Classical style for drinking in 2 years.
Viljoensdrift 2000
CELLAR PRICE: R15
Lime green countenance. Lovely slightly shy herby nose: rocket leaves. Melon and lanolin character. A slightly waxy mouthfeel. Elegant and deep. 2 years.
Savanha 2000
CELLAR PRICE: R31
Medium lime green. Beeswax nose showing flintiness on peaches and apricots. Full herbaceous, grassy flavours - almost Sauvignon Blanc character. Crisp and zingy. Nice wood and fruit balance. Drink within a year.
Van Loveren 2000
CELLAR PRICE: R16.60
Pale straw with greenish hue. Floral and tropical notes with a touch of SO2 on the nose. Good fruit concentration and some grassiness with a sweet-sour finish. Drink within 18 months.
Neethlingshof Reserve 1998
PRICE: R48 ††
Bright yellow gold. Blend of wet wool and tinned tea on a distinctive herbaceous character. Honey, marmalade and sweet-sour flavours on the palate. Slightly too oaky. Drink within a year.
Deetlefs 1999
CELLAR PRICE: R32
Gleaming yellow. Strong beeswax, lanolin and Weisser Riesling-like terpenes showing on the nose, also peach, quince and straw. Good depth although a little short on the finish. Very individual style - up to 2 years.
Steenberg 2000
CELLAR PRICE: R27
Clear yellow tinges. Hints of cabbage on primary fruit aromas: dried peaches and lime. Pear drops and grapefruit flavour. Typically waxy mouthfeel and long aftertaste which could develop well over 2 years.
Lutzville 2000 R10,20
Eikehof 1999 R16,50
Eikehof Bush Vine 1999 R27,50
La Bri 1999 † R31
Stellenzicht Reserve 1999 ††R48
Constantia Uitsig Reserve 1999 R56
La Cotte 2000 R12,50
Franschhoek Vineyards 1997 R15
Boekenhoutskloof 1999 †† R34
Also tasted: Backsberg 1999 R22,50
† sold out ex-cellar
†† approximate retail
WINE Tasters: Cape Wine Masters Allan Mullins (chairperson), Colin Frith and Sue van Wyk with winemakers Adi Badenhorst (Rustenberg) and Ben Radford (Winecorp).
Procedures: Tasting done "blind". Wines poured at 14°C (whites and rosés), 18°C (reds and ports) and 10°C (sweets). The 20-point scoring system was used: 5 Star = 18 or more out of 20; 4 Star = 16 or 17; 3 Star = 15; 2 Star = 14; 1 Star = 13; No Star = less than 13. Star ratings awarded on the basis of discussion and consensus. Wine identities not revealed to panellists until publication of the assessments.
Superlative wine, a masterpiece. World-class.
Excellent, wine of distinction. Recommended for special occasions
and cellaring.
Good to very good. Fine character and style. Suitable for cellaring.
Above average. Appealing.
Average. Acceptable.
