Creation Sauvignon Blanc 2023
For some reason I’ve never gotten to know Creation...their stands were always so busy...and eventually I decided that perhaps they didn't need my custom. So I was delighted when Dr Erna Blancquaert recommended this Sauvignon Blanc. Dr Erna is the first black woman to receive a PhD in Viticulture; she is a Fullbright Scholar, researcher, lecturer, mother, wife...Erna’s list of accolades is far too long for Insta 😂. To me, she’s the quiet voice in my head that whispers ‘get it done’...her parting words to me as I struggled with my final wine exam. She is an inspiration.
Dr Erna, in a less quiet voice, reminded me about how clones, shading, and blending from different vineyards produces a multidimensional wine:
The Wine:
Beautiful slatey minerality, salinity and flint, herbaceous grass and guava leaves, brightened by nectarines, sweet lemons and kumquats...while tropical granadilla waves in the distance.
Dry but sweet citrus fruited, high but approachable acidity, grapefruit pith texture and kumquat zing...with a salinity that also make it slinky...glycerol. There’s a good length that’s more mineral and textural as the fruit fades leaving pockets of grapefruit peel and salty stones. Multidimensional!
Vini + Viti:
100% Sauvignon Blanc grown at 270 metres on Decomposed Bokkeveld shale on clay-loam in the Cape South Coast.
Hand-harvested, fermented in stainless steel tanks with a further 3 months on the fine lees.
As this is a recommendation from a viticulturist, the following info is food for thought (considering how the trellising, vine age, clones and rootstocks affect the grape is a fun exercise for geeks
Trellising System: 7-wire Perold trellising
Vine Age: 7-19 years
Clones: 7, 11, 159, 242, 316, 317, 376, 905
Rootstock: R99, R110
ALC 13.5 % | PH 3.4 | RS 1.7g/L | TA 5.8 g/L
Final thoughts:
Dr Erna’s passion for viti hasn’t come without challenges...and so she is devoted to empowerment and supporting new generations of BIPOC researchers.
There are fundamental similarities in her understanding that great wine starts in the vineyards...and her belief that young talent should be nurtured.
We talked about science for the non science minded (me), learning by doing, living with imposter syndrome, the youths, prejudices, being enough and being worthy.
