GG_N52_IT

SOUTH AFRICA
GRAPE
the Swartland in 1965. Through changing trends and
new grape varieties gracing the scene, it retained its
foothold, and with 9,987 hectares, it is the country’s
second-most planted grape after plantings increased
threefold between 1990 and 2022. In 2022, 14.3m
litres were sold in the domestic market, and 67.7m
litres were exported, packaged (18.7m litres) and bulk
(49m litres).
MATT DAY HAS BEEN THE WINEMAKER AT KLEIN CONSTANTIA SINCE 2012, AND CRAIG
HARRIS HAS MANAGED THE VINEYARDS SINCE 2013 - A FORMIDABLE TEAM
SAUVIGNON’S TERROIR TALE
While Stellenbosch continues producing stellar
Sauvignon Blanc with the likes of Thelema Sauvignon
Blanc 2022 (90) and Zevenwacht Sauvignon
Blanc 2022 (93), it now shares the limelight with
newer frontiers.
Annually, tourists swarm to Cape Agulhas, wanting
to visit the most southern tip of Africa, their adventurous
itineraries quenching their thirst for whale
watching, shark diving, and yes, bespoke Sauvignon
Blanc.
En route, Lomond’s Sauvignon Blanc vineyards overlook
Dyer Island, a playground for marine animals;
while on land, the winemaker Hannes Meyer plays to
his strengths, producing distinctive Sauvignon Blanc
from vines growing in sandy, weathered soils.
«It’s incredible how Sauvignon effortlessly expresses
its terroir. White stone fruit is a marker for this area
with natural acidities and a super low pH ensuring
great ageing potential,» says Meyer.
Their vineyards benefit from great diurnal temperature
ranges, and the wines’ character also echoes
something of this marine spectacle with a noticeable
thread of salinity. Both the Lomond Sauvignon Blanc
2023 (91) and the Lomond Pincushion (90) fared well,
commended for their classic and expressive styles.
Farther south, Elim is the coldest wine region in
the country, where a combination of ferricrete,
chalk and koffieklip creates lighter, grey soils. It is
home to Strandveld Vineyards, where cellarmaster
Conrad Vlok crafts distinctive wines from marginal
vineyards. In 2022, he was awarded the Dinersclub
SA Winemaker of the Year in recognition of the
Strandveld Pofadderbos Sauvignon Blanc 2021, the
2022 vintage receiving double gold (92) from Gilbert
& Gaillard.
WINEMAKER HANNES MEYER IS IN HIS ELEMENT MAKING SAUVIGNON BLANC AT LOMOND,
SITUATED NEAR CAPE AGULHAS, AGAINST THE SLOPES OF BEN LOMOND MOUNTAIN AND
ITS UNIQUE GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS AND ARRAY OF SOIL TYPES
SUMMER 2023 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
73