My father called this wine outstanding. He’s not wrong.
He’s been tasting some seriously nice stuff from around the world as he helps me pour blind flights. This stood out to him…and me. His notes are great, but he writes essays (apple, tree…pot, kettle) so here are mine.
The Wine:
Pale lemon with an incredible nose…let the drooling commence: baked cheesecake layered with lemon curd, chunks of preserved lemons, dried pineapple bits, a drizzle of granadilla purée…garnished with fresh fennel fronds, shards of dark toffee, and toasted and smoked nuts. We have asparagus and tinned peas (that are so characteristic of Durbanville Sauv Blancs)…but that’s not going into my recipe.
Dry, high acidity, medium- bodied, medium alcohol and a long finish. It’s noticeably herbaceous, but more muted radicchio, blackcurrant leaves and grapefruit pith than grass. Add a whiff of white pepper, honey, melon and metallic salinity.
Conclusion:
Balance (1) + Length (1) + Intensity (1) + Complexity (1) = An outstanding wine
Vini + Viti:
88% Sauv Blanc, 12% Sémillon – crushed & cold settled for 3 days, and lees stirred once a day. Clean juice racked to stainless steel and inoculated. Fermented to 5° B before transferring to barrels to complete fermentation. Matured in a combo of new & old French oak barrels of varying sizes for 10 months, and then blended.
Final thoughts:
The most striking thing about this wine is the restraint, elegance and enviable integration. It’s earned its place as one of the world’s 12 top-scoring wines at the 2021’s Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters.
Thank you so much to Durbanville Hills for sharing this wine with me/us!
Find the Wine:
https://www.durbanvillehills.co.za/
