Winemag.co.za reveals SA's finest white wines

Among South Africa’s finest white wines:
Winemag.co.za releases its sixth annual Sauv-Sem Blend / Wooded Sauvignon Blanc Report

Best Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon Blends with 94 points - Cape Point Vineyards Isliedh 2017

13 November 2018 – Winemag.co.za today released its sixth annual Sauv-Sem Blend/Wooded Sauvignon Blanc Report, sponsored by precision agriculture service provider Aerobotics. Presenting a solid argument for increased interest in South Africa’s Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon blends, panel chair Christian Eedes highlighted this style’s ability for very serious wines.

This year saw 41 blends from 37 producers scrutinised by the respected Winemag.co.za tasting panel, while for the second time, Wooded Sauvignon Blanc was included with 19 examples from 16 producers.

Eedes pointed out that the best of these Bordeaux-inspired white blends “make for demanding wines, with very dense fruit combined with punchy acidities” adding that it is these qualities that make them both food friendly and age-worthy. A point illustrated by the fact that the average score of wines rated was 90/100, which further bears testimony to the high overall standard of the category.

Commenting on the category as a whole, Eedes said: “When winemakers get it right, the end-result is wines of real gravitas and heft, perhaps not everyday drinking but rather to be served in a fine dining environment after some suitable bottle maturation.”

Cape Point Vineyards Isleidh 2017 was announced as the best overall blend, achieving a rating of 94/100, as well as a 50ha drone flight from Aerobotics worth R25 000, as well as a new 225-litre barrel from Tonnellerie Sylvain.

The wooded Sauvignon Blanc category achieved an average score of 89.9, with The Fledge & Co. Fumé Blanc 2017 best overall with a rating of 93/100 – also securing an Aerobotics package.

“We are proud to be the headline sponsor at the sixth annual Winemag Sauv-Sem Blend & Wooded Sauvignon Blanc Report”, said Aerobotics COO Andrew Burdock, who spoke at the event. “We are excited by the enthusiasm for our technology in the wine industry and look forward to helping today’s top performers and others improve their yield and produce a balanced crop.”

The full results were as follows:

Wines to rate 90 points or higher on the 100-point quality scale were as follows:

Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon Blends
94
Cape Point Vineyards Isliedh 2017 (BEST OVERALL)

93
Highlands Road Sine Cera 2015
Tokara Director’s Reserve White 2016
Zorgvliet Simoné 2017

92
Delaire Graff White Reserve 2016
Chateau de Fieuzal 2015
Hazendal 2017
Strandveld Adamastor 2016
Warwick Professor Black 2017

91
Benguela Cove Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2016
Celestina 2017
David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner The Bowline 2016
Durbanville Hills The Tangram 2017
Highlands Road Sine Cera 2016
Iona One Man Band White 2016
Lanzerac Keldermeester Versmeling Bergstroom 2017
Nitida Coronata Integration 2016
Quoin Rock White Blend 2017
Trizanne Signature Wines Reserve 2017

90
Bizoe Henriëtta 2017
Bloemendal Kanonberg 2015
David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner The Bowline 2017
Elgin Vintners The Century 2017
Flagstone Treaty Tree Reserve 2017
Waverley Hills 2018

The Fledge & Co Flume Blanc 2017 received best wooded sauvignon blanc with 93 pts overall

Wooded Sauvignon Blanc

93
The Fledge & Co. Fumé Blanc 2017 (BEST OVERALL)

92
Bloemendal Suider Terras 2016
Highlands Road Sauvignon Blanc White Reserve 2017
Neumeister Ried Moarfeitl 2015
Overgaauw Abraham 2017

91
Cape Point Vineyards Reserve 2017
Rousseau Sacharia 2017
Zevenwacht 360º 2017

90
Diemersdal M.M. Louw 2017
Iona Klipkop Blanc Fumé 2017
Miravel Nigma 2017
Nederburg Heritage Heroes The Young Airhawk 2017
Rousseau Grace 2018
Sabathi Ried Pössnitzberger Sorgenbrecher 2015
The Giant Periwinkle Blanc Fumé 2017

Full results can be viewed on Winemag.co.za

A selection of pictures from the award ceremony can be accessed via Winemag.co.za’s Facebook page.

About Winemag.co.za
Wine magazine was published from 1993 until 2011 and now lives on in digital form. It covers everything to do with South African fine wine. Christian Eedes is editor. After graduating from Stellenbosch University with a BA Honours in philosophy, he joined Wine magazine in 2000 and served as editor between May 2008 and December 2009. He has completed a wine evaluation course and a small-scale winemaking course under the auspices of the Department of Viticulture and Oenology at Stellenbosch University. His experience includes tasting for the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show and Platter’s South African Wine Guide in addition to various other local and international competitions. Jacqueline Lahoud is Business Manager. She has extensive media experience including being publisher of Getaway magazine and Show & Events Director at RamsayMedia. Post running her own media business in Cape Town, she now fills the role of Business Director at Winemag. Winemag.co.za was acquired by US-based investment firm Eileses Capital in August 2018.