Waterkloof Peacock Ridge Sauvignon Blanc 2013
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Following 24 years as a UK based wine importer and 20 of those simultaneously making his own wines in France (with other people's grapes), Anglo-Frenchman Paul Boutinot finally found the vineyard he wished to call his own in 2004. To the surprise of many however, instead of plumping for the familiar and well-trodden path of the Loire or Rhone Valleys, he gambled and backed the vast potential of South Africa and, more specifically, Waterkloof. Six years after crafting Waterkloof's first wines in their own award-winning cellar on the farm, their two flaghship Circle of Life wines are already served in many of the world's Top 100 restaurants including Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Zuma, The Ledbury and Azurmendi.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
South Africa’s most famous wine-producing district, Stellenbosch, surrounds the historic town with the same name; fine winemaking here dates back to the late 1600s. Its valleys of granite, sandstone and alluvial loam soils between the towering blue-grey mountains of Stellenbosch, Simonsberg and Helderberg have the capacity to produce beautiful wines from many varieties. The climate is warm Mediterranean, tempered by the cool Atlantic air of nearby False Bay.
Perhaps most well-known for its Pinotage and Bordeaux blends, Stellenbosch also produces noteworthy wines from Syrah, Chenin blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc. The district’s wards—Banghoek, Bottelary, Devon Valley, Jonkershoek Valley, Papegaaiberg, Polkadraai Hills and Simonsberg-Stellenbosch—all produce distinctive wines from vines with relatively low yields.