Groote Post Release The 2021 Vintage Of Their Much-Loved Seasalter

“September is a magical time for us” enthuses Peter Pentz junior of Groote Post, the historic Darling Hills farm owned by the Pentz family.

“The West Coast puts on her beautiful spring floral display, the entire landscape transforming into a blaze of colour… and before you know it, the magic is gone again. And September is also the much-awaited month when we release our new vintage Seasalter. Enter #Seasalter2021“

Seasalter is Groote Post’s highly acclaimed flagship Sauvignon Blanc, with a 10% Semillon component and a touch of oak. “We expect #Seasalter2021 to meet all the expectations of our loyal Seasalter fans. It is a beautifully composed complex wine with the Sauvignon’s zesty acidity and vibrancy perfectly balanced by the richer notes and fuller mouth feel added by the Semillon component, continues Peter.”

It was with much excitement and pride that Groote Post released their limited-edition maiden Seasalter in 2015, and this immense joy is rekindled with each new vintage reveal. The Seasalter 2015 (as well as subsequent vintages), have been immediate hits with wine lovers. There is so much to love about Seasalter, a West Coast Story in a Bottle: the elegance and purity of fruit, vibrant acidity, oyster shell minerality and saline finish - so typical of Sauvignons from the unique maritime cool-climate Darling Hills terroir; the charming name that captures the essence of the wine; and the refreshing distinctive label that visually portrays the West Coast soul of the wine.

The stature of the Seasalter has been recognised and highlighted by a range of prestigious accolades.

The 2019 Seasalter vintage was awarded:

A Top 10 placing at the 2019 FNB Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 competition
The Sauvignon Blanc Trophy at the 2021 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show

Following on this success, the 2020 vintage received:

Top 10 status in the Wooded category at the 2020 Prescient Sauvignon Blanc Report convened by Winemag.co.za
A Gold medal at the 2020 Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards
A Gold medal at the 2021 Concours Mondial du Sauvignon in Brussels

GROOTE POST SEASALTER 2021

Sauvignon Blanc with 10% Semillon and a Touch of Oak

In the Vineyard: The Darling Hills are blessed with deep, high clay content soils, gracious southern slopes and cooling winds off the icy Atlantic only 6 km away… the perfect terroir conditions for Sauvignon Blanc, which has been Groote Post’s standout varietal since its maiden release in 1999. It was therefore fitting that a Sauvignon Blanc would emerge as Groote Post’s flagship white wine. “After years of experimenting with the 40ha of Sauvignon Blanc grapes on the farm, we identified 10ha of high-lying south-facing vineyards. Here the cooling ocean breezes from the icy Atlantic ensure perfect conditions for slow ripening, allowing the grapes to develop their intense flavours, complexity and finesse - exactly the style we want to capture for our Seasalter. We are looking for more fruit and less greenness in the grapes, so we open up the canopies and harvest a little later, in the cool early hours of the morning to retain optimum freshness and flavour.”

In the Cellar: At the cellar the grapes are carefully sorted by hand before crushing. Only the free-run juice is used after 10 to 12 hours of skin contact. Most of the fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks with the wine left on the fine lees for 4 months. 20% of the Sauvignon was fermented and aged for 4 months in ceramic-toasted 300 litre French Oak (80% new). Lukas Wentzel continues: “These barrels are specifically not smoky and toasty, adding structure, complexity and an integrated woody character to the wine whilst safeguarding the purity, freshness and flavours of the fruit. We then carefully select the best of the barrel and stainless tank wine to make up our final blend.”

Tasting Notes: Seasalter is fast becoming Groote Post’s celebrated wine, with its West Coast saltiness and minerality from the nearby Atlantic. #Seasalter2021 is wonderfully expressive on the nose exuding fragrant guava and gooseberry nuanced by blackcurrant and citrus notes with subtle aromas of kelp and passionfruit. This complex and integrated nose follows through onto the palate with captivating yellow fruit and a zesty lime acidity with hints of fynbos, sea-breeze and a touch of oak. Rich layered and long, this subtly powerful blend is intense but not weighty: an elegant well-balanced wine showing typical Darling minerality, vibrant acidity and some leesy complexity before a saline finish. “This riper, softer, fruitier style of Sauvignon is what people are looking for. The green pepper and asparagus styles became too much, it was overdone. There are some greener notes in the wine – but kiwi fruit. The wood rounds off but does not overpower the wine - you must still know you’re drinking a Sauvignon Blanc,” concludes Lukas.

Food: Seasalter is an excellent food wine, best served with West Coast seafood of course. Or enjoy with Debbie McLaughlin’s Smoked Salmon Trout and New Potato Salad with a Lemon Mayonnaise Dressing - see recipe.

Purchase: #Seasalter2021 is available from the Groote Post cellar door, online at https://groote-post-wines.myshopify.com/collections/all and at select fine wine merchants around the country. Approximate retail price: R159

The Name: “When we were launching our maiden 2015 Seasalter, we wanted to come up with the perfect name to portray our unique terroir: the icy Atlantic, waves crashing on broken shells, invigorating salty sea mist, kelp and minerality. It was my wine travels to the UK that surprisingly provided the answer. I happened to visit a tiny medieval village in the Canterbury District of Kent, by the name of Seasalter, which had been a centre for salt production in the Iron Age. I knew immediately that Seasalter was the ideal name for our new flagship Sauvignon as it superbly captured the essence of our wine in one word,” reflects Nick Pentz.

The Packaging: And the Seasalter’s distinctive design followed suit, thanks to the expertise of Anthony Lane Design Consultancy, providing a visual connection to the West Coast soul of the Seasalter: the pristine turquoise waters of the Atlantic, the simplicity of the wind-swept coastline, the weathered, white-washed fishing villages, the seagulls calling from above.

A VISIT TO GROOTE POST

Only an hour’s drive from Cape Town, the historic Groote Post farm presents a rustic and rural atmosphere with undulating hills, vast open spaces and warm country hospitality. In addition to a wide range of award-winning wines, Hilda’s Kitchen’s superb culinary experience and Farm Drives through the private game camp and vineyards, Groote Post also offers picnics; a child-friendly area with a jungle gym and rolling lawns; a superb wedding venue; beautiful views of the Atlantic coast and Table Mountain; nature walks; birdwatching in the hide on the dam and spectacular West Coast flowers in spring.