The 2005 Sauvignon Blanc from The KANU Vineyards.
TASTING NOTES
Pale straw in colour with a green tinge. Hints of gooseberry, guava, freshly cut green grass, nettle and green pepper on the nose. Good balance between natural fruit sugars and acid, resulting in a crisp, clean finish. Packed with flavours of bell peppers and crushed rosemary. Drinking well now, but will gain in intricacy with bottle maturation.
IN THE VINEYARD
Area: Koelenhof & BottelarySoil Type: VariousAge of vines: 20 yearsTrellising: 3 wire Vertical Shoot PositioningVine Density: 2 500 vines / haYield: 6.5 tonnes per hectareIrrigation: Drip and some overhead
THE HARVEST
Picking date: 20 January - 14 February 2005Grape Sugar: VariousAcidity: 8.3 – 10.1 at harvestpH at harvest: 3.2 – 3.5Total production: 6,555 x 12 cases
IN THE CELLAR
Only free-run juice was used and reductive winemaking techniques protected the fresh fruit flavours. The must was then cool fermented with a cultured yeast strain. After fermentation the wine spent 3 months on lees, during which time the wine was occasionally stirred. This imparted complexity and structure. The wine was lightly filtered before being bottled.Fermentation temperature: 12 – 15°CWood ageing: None
AGEING POTENTIAL
Up to 4 years after harvest.
BLEND INFORMATION
95% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Chenin Blanc
FOOD SUGGESTIONS
Serve at 12 – 15°C. Ideal with salads; quiche Lorraine; mussel and perlemoen paella; grilled calamari; fresh line fish; mushroom risotto; chicken a’la king; and stir fried or roasted vegetables.
ACCOLADES
2002 Vintage: 89/100 points in Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate – issue 145 (USA); 89/100 in Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar – March / April 2003 issue (USA).
2003 Vintage : ***(*) Wine Magazine September 2003; Bronze medal at the Veritas 2003; 89/100 Best Value USA Wine Spectator; ***(*) John Platter
2004 Vintage: 88/100 points – USA Wine Spectator; Bronze medal at Veritas 2004
2005 Vintage: 88/100 points – USA Wine Spectator (James Moleworth’s Recommended SA Wines) – April 2006
Price: R25 a bottle (R300/case)