Winemag Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Blend & Wooded Sauvignon Blanc Report 2017
· 3 min read
Winemag.co.za is pleased to release the fifth annual Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon Blend/Wooded Sauvignon Blanc Report (previously known as the White Hot Wine Awards). The Graves sub-region of Bordeaux excels at under-stated, oak-aged dry whites from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. In simple terms, Sauvignon Blanc provides freshness while Semillon provides palate weight but when it comes to the best examples, it’s a case of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.
Such blends are a niche category within South Africa but there is general agreement that overall quality is exceptionally high and our intention at Winemag.co.za is to provide these wines with the attention they deserve. For the first time, Wooded Sauvignon Blanc was included as some very exciting wines seem to be emerging in this category and they, too, bear comparison with Graves.
For this year’s competition 38 blends from 34 producers and 18 examples of Wooded Sauvignon Blanc from 15 producers were received. Out of these wines 23 blends and 11 of the Wooded Sauvignon Blanc were rated 90 or higher on the 100-point quality scale and these were recognised during an event held at Nitida Cellars in Durbanville on Wednesday, 30 August.
The top wines were as follows:
93 Bizoe Henriëtta 2016 Gabrielskloof The Landscape Series Magdalena 2016 Highlands Road Sine Cera 2015 Nederburg Private Bin D252 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2016 Nitida Coronata Integration 2016 (best overall)
92 Benguela Cove Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Cape Point Vineyards Isliedh 2016 Constantia Uitsig Natura Vista 2015 Fairview Drie Papens Fontein Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Mulderbosch Faithful Hound White 2015 Stellenzicht The Ratio 2015
91 David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner The Bowline 2015
90 Celestina Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2016 Constantia Glen TWO 2016 Creation Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2016 Delaire Graff White Reserve 2016 Glenwood Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2016 Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve White 2015 Iona One Man Band 2016 Kevin King Bassey 2015 Nitida Coronata Integration 2015 Vergelegen GVB White 2014 Zorgvliet Simoné 2016
Wooded Sauvignon Blanc
93 Marianne 2016 Cape Point Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2015
92 Stark-Conde Round Mountain 2016
91 Klein Constantia Perdeblokke 2016
90 Authentique 2016 Glendirk 2016 Jordan The Outlier 2016 Klein Constantia Block 361 & 372 2015 Mulderbosch 1000 Miles 2015 Neil Ellis Amica 2016 Nitida Wild Child 2016
As producer of the best wine overall, Nitida won a new 225-litre Sylvain Blanc barrel worth over R12 800, from Tonnellerie Sylvain.
To read the report in full, go to Winemag.co.za. Join the conversation and follow the action on twitter #SauvSemReport.
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