Two Highly Acclaimed Sauvignon Blancs From Neil Ellis Wines

Neil Ellis Wines, whose focus has always been, and always will be, on sourcing superior grape-varieties from low-yielding, hand-picked vineyard lots in the Cape’s best sites, produce two highly-acclaimed Sauvignon Blancs.

NEIL ELLIS GROENEKLOOF SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017

Neil Ellis put the Darling district and the Groenekloof ward on the wine map when he began using grapes from Darling in 1986 and became the first person to release a wine from this area with his highly-acclaimed Groenekloof Sauvignon Blanc in 1991, spearheading wine industry interest in the cool-climate possibilities of the area.

In the vineyard: These 20-year-old bush vines are low-yielding vineyards with no supplementary irrigation.

In the cellar: The wine was left on the lees for months to enhance the structure, mouthfeel and complexity of the wine.

Tasting notes: Bright aromatics with lifted floral notes and subtle herbaceous overtones. The palate is elegant, and textured with delicately detailed sweet tropical fruits, a lively acidity, refined minerality and a long flavoursome finish.

Retail price: R95-R110

NEIL ELLIS AMICA 2017 (100% Barrel-Fermented Sauvignon Blanc)

The 2017 Amica is a complex and textured expression of Sauvignon Blanc.

In the vineyard: The source of the fruit is a single vineyard site from the Jonkershoek Valley. This limited release wine demonstrates the distinctiveness of specific vineyard sites and represents the finest quality.

In the cellar: The grapes were whole-bunch pressed using a Champagne pressing cycle to ensure that only the finest quality juice was used. The fermentation occurred naturally in 500-litre puncheons of which only 20% was new. The wine spent 9 months in barrel. (500-litre).

Tasting notes: Initial scents of white florals and fresh herbs are supported by notes of sweet stone fruits and honeysuckle and completed by a flinty minerality. Juicy with mouth-watering flavours of nectarine, lime and lemongrass, a round and creamy mouthfeel is complemented by gentle minerality and fresh acidity which contributes to a youthful and vibrant finish.

Retail price: R225-R275