90 percent of the time, when someone asks you if you want white wine, they mean Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.
I don’t know if that’s true, but 90 seemed like a good percent.
Sauvignon Blancs are crisp, dry, easy to drink, and one of my own personal favorite things to drink on a patio during the months between May and September.
And this is a Sauvignon Blanc worth saying yes to.
The Sauvignon Blanc grape is commonly grown in France, Italy, California and more recently in New Zealand and Chile. South African wines in general are fairly new to the market (since the early to mid 90’s South Africa wasn’t allowed to export and wines were not the best quality).
Because Sauvignon Blanc is grown in so many different places it takes on a lot of different flavors.
Most often what you are going to see flavor-wise is an array of grapefruit flavors, followed by gooseberry and honeydew and in parts of France, Sauvignon Blanc takes on a lot of tomato vine and basil aromas.
Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc 2009 from Walker Bay South Africa is an incredible wine that is brisk and perfumey with aromas of lemon and fresh herbs.
The vineyard is located only a few miles from the Atlantic Ocean so you can taste the gripping and uncompromising dryness from the maritime climate that the grapes grow in.
It is one of my favorite summer white wines to serve chilled while sitting on the deck when it is finally above 80 degrees.
Why you should drink this wine: If you like wine that is cool and crisp with lots of acidity that retails between $10-$15 this rocks. The Sauvignon Blanc remains a local and international best seller with its classic, tight minerality complementing the prominent varietal fruit. It has been rated best South African Sauvignon Blanc in the Wall Street Journal and was the only Sauvignon blanc to win a Gold Medal at the Classic Wine Trophy awards in 2009.
Think Global: The wines are named after the rare Southern Right whales, which frequent the cool South Atlantic Walker Bay, 3 kilometers from the vineyards. With each bottle sold, Southern Right makes a contribution to Southern Right whale conservation.
Food Pairing Suggestions: Pair this wine with a light dish like Caprese Salad, Goat Cheese Pistachio Stuffed Dates or Perfect Roasted Chicken.
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9 Comments
Asparagus and Goat Cheese Galette
June 20, 2011 at 2:18 pm[…] 4. Recommended serving: pair with a big green salad and a glass of crisp white wine, such as Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc or even a light glass of […]
Greg
May 12, 2011 at 4:45 pmGreat post. We’re seeing more and more South African wines here, and that’s saying something since we’re in the South. (The selection isn’t as good.) We don’t drink a lot of chards, but love SBs, especially from NZ. Coming around on the Chilean ones.:)
Kath (My Funny Little Life)
May 9, 2011 at 5:46 pmIn Germany, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc aren’t so common. Chardonnay rather is, you’ll find it at most stores and on the menus of most bars, but Sav Blanc is really rare. We have a lot of white vines here that are much more familiar – Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Silvaner, Rivaner, Elbling, Kerner, … I love a good Riesling or Pinot Blanc, and recently I’ve also learned to like a nice glass of Sav Blanc. But I have to look for it to get some.
Kate
May 6, 2011 at 7:02 pmI love sauvignon blanc…it is definitely my favorite. I have never heard of this one but I am definitely going to put this on my shopping list this weekend!
Gina (The Candid RD)
May 5, 2011 at 1:11 pmI wish I liked white wine. I really do. I wouldn’t worry so much about staining my teeth, ha! But really, I can’t find one that I like, other than the really sweet reisling. Great post though, I’m intrigued by all the awards this wine has won!
Simply Life
May 4, 2011 at 9:58 pmGreat info! I love drinking wine but also don’t know too much about it!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
May 5, 2011 at 1:53 amGreat guest post! I’ve never tried a South African wine but that’s not for lack of wanting. I will ask about it next time!
Peggy
May 4, 2011 at 9:02 pmI’ve noticed the South African wine trend, and so far, the ones I’ve tried, are quite tasty. Sauvignon Blanc is definitely my favorite type of white to have, so I’ll be on the lookout for this one soon!
Daryl
May 4, 2011 at 8:44 pmThis is so very interesting. I am going to try this wine and feel good about contributing to whale conservation.