Elgin Ridge, 282 Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Marion and Brian Smith sold their business in the UK, and, after scouring the wine regions of Europe for the perfect place to buy a property, ended up finding it in Elgin. Their small farm is planted to Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and their objective from the beginning was to be organic.

CLIMATE: Cool climate, similar to that of Burgundy. The elevated position of the vineyards means that they have cold winters and warm summers whilst the close proximity of the Atlantic Ocean provides cool coastal breezes keeping the vines healthy when the temperatures rise.

TERROIR & VITICULTURE: Elgin Ridge sits high on the slopes of a mountain in the Elgin Valley. The vines are planted 282 metres above sea level and which is completely untouched by chemicals. Farm vegetation is recycled and they make their own compost ensuring that the vines are truly natural. The rows between the vines are ploughed by horse whilst the pest control is carried out by ducks! The grapes for the Sauvignon Blanc come from ancient Bokkeveld shale with a relatively high clay content - giving the wine structure and minerality.

VINIFICATION:

• Manual harvested in the cooler morning hours
• Destemmed
• Fermented with wild yeasts in stainless vats for 18-20 days at 12 oC
• No malolactic fermentation
• Filtered
• Not fined
• Small addition of sulphur

TASTING NOTE

Very dry Sauvignon with sweet apricot and peach aromas with classic fresh minerality, pale yellow colour, crisp, clean and fresh, with that trademark Elgin minerality.

FOOD RECOMMENDATION

Fish or pasta.