SA's top 10 examples of Sauvignon Blanc

Bloomin' marvellous

The 2009 vintage is widely regarded as the best of the decade for Sauvignon Blanc, so it's hardly surprising that there were so many highscoring wines jostling for a Top 10 slot (no fewer than three with 5 Stars, 13 with 4½ Stars and 33 with 4 Stars).

 

The first obvious observation is how prominently Durbanville features, with De Grendel, Durbanville Hills, Nitida and Havana Hills enjoying the famously cool conditions - and particularly in 2009, when a wet winter was followed by an unusually chilly ripening period. Interesting, too, that Stellenbosch estate Delaire has a splash of Durbanville fruit in its blend, while Paarl outfit Nederburg's Manor House has a small amount of Durbanville Semillon: "The best we have ever received at the cellar," according to winemaker Tariro Masayiti.

Darling fruit also remains highly sought-after, and with good reason if the Graham Beck Pheasants' Run and Fleur du Cap Unfiltered are anything to go by. The Pheasants' Run 2008 was also a top-tenner last year, making a strong case for the ageability of certain Sauvignons, while the 5-Star 2009 promises great things too.

A Rawsonville wine also makes the cut this year, the Avondrood Reserve coming from mountain vineyards in a district often regarded as being too warm. Which raises the question: what happened to Elgin this year?

Delaire 2009
5 Stars
Alc 13% RS 3g/l TA 6.5g/l pH 3.37

It's not just the restaurant and tasting lounge at Delaire Graff Estate that have had a complete makeover. Behind the scenes at this spectacular Helshoogte property, an extensive replanting programme and a 230-ton cellar "equipped with every toy imaginable" mean that there are no more excuses: "We should make some of the best wines in South Africa," says winemaker Morne Vrey.

His is very much a "let the grapes do the talking" approach - and in this case the grapes came from three cooler-climate vineyards in Olifantsrivier (70%), Stellenbosch (25%) and Durbanville (5%).

"The unique flavours from each area are in full harmony," declares Vrey, who recommends enjoying the wine alongside roasted scallops with peas and pancetta - or on its own.

Graham Beck
Pheasants' Run 2008
4½ Stars
Alc 14.07% RS 2.37g/l TA 7.1g/l pH 3.44

Graham Beck
Pheasants' Run 2009
5 Stars
Alc 14.34% RS 2.61g/l TA 7.1g/l pH 3.59

If repetition is the key to reputation, then Graham Beck Pheasants' Run is well on its way to being regarded as one of South Africa's best. Made at this operation's Franschhoek cellar, this label has been in the Top 10 every year since the competition's inception in 2007.

The 2008 which was among the winners last year has done it again, now rating 4½ Stars as opposed to 4 Stars, only outshone by the 2009 with a rarely bestowed 5 Star rating. In allegorical terms, this wine has good genes - but cellarmaster Pieter Ferreira ascribes it to two things: terroir and winemaker Erica Obermeyer's absolute dedication to this variety.

Grapes are the best possible selection of a particular year - in both these vintages, Darling is the dominant contributor, resulting in typical green pea flavours. Cellar treatment includes prolonged lees contact, contributing to the wines' rounded mouthfeel. And watch out for some mineral tones as the wines develop, predicts Ferreira.

Avondrood Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2009
4½ Stars
Alc 11.51% RS 4.5g/l TA 8.9g/l pH 3.35

There is a widespread belief that vines growing in stonier soils produce grapes that contribute to a more characterful product - and cellarmaster Albertus van Rensburg at Avondrood cellar in the Breede Valley, Rawsonville, underscores this notion with a wine "set in stone": the Reserve 2009.

Made from the "first grapes pressed in the Cape," this wine comes from "mountain vineyards" in exceptionally rough terrain. And contrary to the claims of cool-climate pundits, Van Rensburg believes that it benefits from the warmer climate - harvested at different degrees balling, the wine is deliciously layered, and strikes a fi ne balance between grass and passion fruit on the palate and nose.

"But the biggest joke of all," says Van Rensburg, "is that it is priced at R45 a bottle.

"Havana Hills 2009
5 Stars
Alc 11.02% RS 5g/l TA 7.5g/l pH 3.42

Havana Hills owner Kobus du Plessis says his Sauvignon Blanc has underperformed over the years, at least relative to his other award-winning wines.

"I don't think we handled it optimally in the past," he muses. "But we always knew we SHOULD make good Sauvignon, at 350m above sea level, on beautiful south-facing slopes, just 5km from the sea..."

"It's a classic Durbanville climate," confirms Mike Dobrovic, newly appointed at this Philadelphia property, but involved in an advisory capacity since 1999. "Each new vine was given 40 to 50kg of compost," he remembers. "Such a beautiful start."

Du Plessis reveals that viticulturist Rudi Benn has recently retrellised the Sauvignon vines ("they're now higher to optimise the Atlantic infl uence"), and this is clearly having an effect. "Fantastic fruit!"

De Grendel Koetshuis 2009
4½ Stars
Alc 14.24% RS 2g/l TA 8.2g/l pH 3.32

One of Cape Town's oldest farms, De Grendel nestles atop Tygerberg Hill, where the vines benefit from south-facing aspects and ocean breezes. And 2009 was a great vintage, adds winemaker Charles Hopkins.

"Fantastic rain showers as late as November ensured a higher water table to act as a buffer against high temperatures. The crop was 10 to 14 days later than last year and 10% down in yield, but this ensured better concentration in flavours."

The first bottling of De Grendel wines was 2004 and this year saw the first time that Hopkins sourced grapes from elsewhere to up production. The Koetshuis is a blend of 45% own Sauvignon Blanc and 10% own Semillon blended with 45% Sauvignon from Darling. Total production was 1 000 cases.

Durbanville Hills Biesjes Craal
Sauvignon Blanc 2009
4½ Stars
Alc 13.59% RS 2.1g/l TA 6.3g/l pH 3.36

This wine comes from a single, steep, south-facing vineyard at 320m above sea level which takes its name from an early outpost in what is now Milnerton, where salt was collected and oxen outspanned.

The grapes were hand-harvested in mid-February - two weeks later than normal thanks to cool ripening conditions. "In the cellar, all the winemaker can do is shape and nurture the bounty brought in from the vineyards," believes Durbanville Hills cellarmaster Martin Moore.

The crushed fruit had 10 hours' skin contact before fermentation to extract all possible flavour, with dry ice protecting the must and young wine against oxidation. After fermentation, it was left on its lees for three months to allow the yeast cells to break up, which releases flavours and creates good structure for ageing.

Nederburg Manor
House 2009
4½ Stars
Alc 13.44% RS 1.63g/l TA 6.65g/l pH 3.41

This Paarl cellar is celebrating a most successful year. Platter's, the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show and numerous others praised this big-name brand by awarding top scores - the Manor House Sauvignon Blanc 2009 adding another sash to this beauty queen of the winelands.

Tariro Masayiti, in charge of white wine production at the cellar, says that 2009 also contributed its part in delivering amazing grapes. The Sauvignon is mostly sourced from Groenekloof, Darling.

Blended with 7% Semillon, the juice was left on the lees for as long as possible to aid mouthfeel and to enable maximum concentration and fruit expression. Masayiti makes specific mention of a maiden Durbanville crop used in the production of this particular wine. "It is the best [Semillon] we have ever received at the cellar," he reveals.

Fleur du Cap Unfiltered
Limited Release Sauvignon Blanc 2009
4½ Stars
Alc 14.04% RS 1.7g/l TA 6.88g/l pH 3.36

This wine is very much made with the Fleur du Cap motto in mind, says winemaker Pieter Badenhorst: "Wines inspired by nature." It is particularly wholesome, he says when asked to compare it to other Sauvignons bottled under the FDC label. He refers to it as the "sushi" of wine: "Pure and raw."

As the name implies, wines from the unfiltered range are made in an almost minimalist way - but they are subjected to a serious selection process, with certain "building block" tanks tasted, ranked, and re-tasted in order to arrive at this top-scoring wine.

The Darling tanks stood out, as did one from Lutzville - the end result being a wine with subtle viscosity and ample green pepper nuances. "The combination is amazing," says Badenhorst.

Nitida Club Select 2009
4½ Stars
Alc 13.5% RS 2.2g/l TA 6.1g/l pH 3.50

Durbanville cellar Nitida is riding the crest of a wave, having recently won the Top Producer Trophy at the Michelangelo Awards for the highest percentage of medals won per number of entries - including a Grand d'Or for this wine.

The focus is on making wines "where you want to finish the bottle and wonder who drank the other half", as owner Bernard Veller puts it.

While the standard Nitida Sauvignon Blanc is a blend of up to 12 diff erent tanks, the Club Select is a combination of just three. "I can't tell you which, because it's a secret!" laughs winemaker Jacus Marais. "But we are very firm believers in blending for complexity - and we did numerous variations before we were completely happy with the final result."