Waterkloof Circumstance Sauvignon Blanc 2014
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Wine Spectator
Stylish, with light lemon curd and macadamia nut notes that glide underneath the high-pitched gooseberry and honeysuckle flavors. Pure finish.
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.
With an important wine renaissance in full swing, impressive red and white bargains abound in South Africa. The country has a particularly long and rich history with winemaking, especially considering its status as part of the “New World.” In the mid-17th century, the lusciously sweet dessert wines of Constantia were highly prized by the European aristocracy. Since then, the South African wine industry has experienced some setbacks due to the phylloxera infestation of the late 1800s and political difficulties throughout the following century.
Today, however, South Africa is increasingly responsible for high-demand, high-quality wines—a blessing to put the country back on the international wine map. Wine production is mainly situated around Cape Town, where the climate is generally warm to hot. But the Benguela Current from Antarctica provides brisk ocean breezes necessary for steady ripening of grapes. Similarly, cooler, high-elevation vineyard sites throughout South Africa offer similar, favorable growing conditions.
South Africa’s wine zones are divided into region, then smaller districts and finally wards, but the country’s wine styles are differentiated more by grape variety than by region. Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, is the country’s “signature” grape, responsible for red-fruit-driven, spicy, earthy reds. When Pinotage is blended with other red varieties, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Pinot Noir (all commonly vinified alone as well), it is often labeled as a “Cape Blend.” Chenin Blanc (locally known as “Steen”) dominates white wine production, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc following close behind.