Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc 2019

A special vineyard selection is made from highquality vineyards in Lutzville and Darling, plus a small batch of Semillon from De Grendel Vineyards, in which meticulous vineyard management ensures superior fruit concentration and bolder flavours. Grapes were picked separately, depending on phenolic ripeness and flavour components. The vineyards are mostly nourished by weathered shale soils and yield 6 to 7 tons per hectare.

The De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc was so named because the grapes used to make this wine are grown in the vineyard that sprawls out right next to the old coach house (‘koetshuis’ in Afrikaans) where the wagons of days gone by were once kept.

The complexity of the Koetshuis promises excellent maturation potential and the wine will no doubt develop further over the next 3 to 5 years.

Tasting Notes

Pale straw in colour with a fresh and invigorating nose. The wine displays aromas of sour pineapple, fresh honeydew cantaloupe, Packham’s pears and an underlying creamy richness from extended lees contact. This complex and multidimensional wine will develop in both the glass and the bottle with time. Decant slowly to ensure optimum drinking pleasure.

Food Complements

The subtle creaminess makes the Koetshuis the perfect companion to veal with a creamy white wine and chive sauce, octopus salad, smoked trout and pan-fried scallops.

Vintage

The 2019 vintage will be remembered as one that followed the most severe drought in South Africa during 2018. In the second half of 2018, supporting rainfall ensured good soil moisture with cool and moderate ripening and harvesting conditions for 60% of the intake of the 2019 vintage. The 2019 crop was medium sized, resulting in some excellent wines.

Vinification

With Lutzville and Darling batches being vinified individually for blending at a later stage, the handpicked grapes were crushed and allowed extended skin contact for approximately 6 hours before the juice was racked and settled for inoculation and fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Approximately 18% of the juice was inoculated and fermented in a combination of new and 2nd fill French Oak barrels, where it was kept on the fine lees for 100 days. The 9% Semillon component was also fermented in oak. Finally, the portions were blended for flavour, depth and complexity before being protein stabilised, cold stabilised and bottled.

Awards

2019

•FNB Sauvignon Blanc 2019 Top 10 Tim

•Atkin SA Report 2019 91 Points

2017

•China Wine & Spirits Awards 2017 Gold

•FNB Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 2018

•Michelangelo International Wine Awards 2017 Gold

•Michelangelo International Wine Awards 2018 Double Gold

•Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 2018 Gold

•South African Wine Index 2018 Platinum

•Tim Atkin SA Report 2017 91 Points

•Veritas Awards 2018 Gold

•Vitis Vinifera Awards 2017 Double Gold

2016

•Mundus Vini Germany 2017 Gold

2015

•Michelangelo International Wine Awards 2015 Gold

•Sakura Japan Women's Wine Awards 2016 Double Gold

2014

•Platter’s 4½ stars

•Vitis Vinifera Awards Double Gold

2013

•Michelangelo International Wine Awards 2018 Double Gold

•Platter's 4½ Stars

•Vitis Vinifera Awards 2013 Trophy

•Veritas Double Gold

2011

•Platter’s 4½ stars

2010

•Platter's 4½ stars

•Veritas Double Gold

ZAR 175.00

Pick'n'Pay, V&A Waterfront, CapeTown