The announcement of the Top 10
South African Sauvignon Blancs was held last week at the magnificent Landtscap venue, which
overlooks Devon Valley in Stellenbosch. Proudly sponsored by First
National Bank, they really pushed the boat out and we had a superb celebration.
The early evening views over the valley towards the blue mountains in the distance
are exceptional
There were three food stations; groaning with food for us to pick at before dinner and the awards
ceremony which were held inside. We were poured glasses of Steenberg Sparkling Sauvignon
Blanc
Choices, choices
Succulent Parma ham and there
was some good smoked salmon
A waitress bearing bubbles from
Steenberg
It was a large crowd of
winemakers and media
Inside, tables were set for the
awards and supper
Beautifully decorated tables
with fresh flowers
And an orchid on each place
setting
Our very funny MC for the
evening was Schalk Bezuidenhout
The menu. The tables outside at
the top and the dinner below
The main course of Chilli and
Ginger marinated Pork Belly with excellent fondant potatoes, a good apple jus,
baby carrots, a red cabbage fritter beneath which was really meaty, tooth-breaking "crackling" and topped with an apple crisp. The pork
flavourful, but also was a bit fatty; it would be great if they pressed the meat
after the first cooking, which gets rid of most of the fat before the second
cooking
Sumptuous roses and frilly
carnations
Winnie Bowman presented
winemaker Neil Ellis with an award for his services to Sauvignon Blanc
Neil is the retiring Chairman
of the Sauvignon Blanc Interest Group
Stephan Claassen of First
National Bank is in charge of their
Business Banking for the Western and Eastern
Cape
Kleine Zalze winemaker RJ Botha
is the incoming Chairman of SBIG. He said that Sauvignon Blanc is a wild wine,
crisp, elegant with gooseberries, passion fruit, pyrazines; the best smell in a
tank day, and it makes Moolah! 22% of Sauvignon now retails above R90 a bottle.
Grapes cost over R5750 a ton and we grow more of it than most other varietals,
including Cabernet. It is on the rise, so SBIG's aim is to focus on marketing
this abroad and to the local market. The Sauvignon Blancs from the Cape compare
at the highest level to others grown elsewhere. This year, there were 167 wines
entered. Put the word out there please about how good it is. (We do all the
time RJ! And we tell people it’s OK to drink it older; in fact it gets better
with age)
Thys Louw of Diemersdal talked
about the judges and the wines they tasted
These are the top 10 Sauvignons
Blanc for 2018
Tokara Reserve Collection Elgin 2018, Zalze Vineyard Reserve 2017 (Kleine Zalze),
Bellingham
Homestead 2018, D’Aria The Songbird 2017, De Grendel Koetshuis 2017 (wooded)
Diemersdal Winter Ferment 2018, Flagstone Free Run 2017, Fryer’s Cove Doringbay 2017,
Nitida Wild Child 2017 (wooded), Rustenberg 2018
Dessert would have suited some
kids, a firm Bubble gum flavoured panna cotta with candyfloss and raspberry
jelly, white chocolate dipped jam donuts, and popcorn sticks drizzled with
chocolate
The top ten winners
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2018
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