The Spier 21 Gables Sauvignon Blanc 2020 was crowned as one of the country’s Top 10 Sauvignon Blancs of 2021.
Loved for its refreshing zing and food-friendly profile, Sauvignon Blanc is unequivocally the most popular white wine in South Africa making competition especially fierce in the awards arena. Yet once again, Spier has been recognised as a strong contender. Our 21 Gables Sauvignon Blanc 2020 was crowned as one of the country’s Top 10 Sauvignon Blancs of 2021. The same vintage also brought home two gold medals from the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2021 and the Mundus Vini Summer Tasting, respectively.
No stone is left unturned to achieve such award-winning quality. The grapes are grown along the slopes of the Tygerberg Hills, just 16km from the cold Atlantic Ocean. Here, the 23-year-old vines have deep roots, resulting in excellent water retention to yield fruit with a beautiful sea breeze character. In the vineyard and cellar, Spier Cellar Master Johan Jordaan and his team apply unwavering dedication to the process:
“This is a concentrated single varietal wine that projects like a blend. Layered and complex, we achieve this by picking at different ripeness levels from two vineyards planted on the slopes of the Tygerberg Hills. The result is a bold mid-palate with impressive viscosity and freshness. It’s luxury in a bottle,” shares Johan.
Made in an unwooded style, the 21 Gables Sauvignon Blanc 2020 followed strictly observed processes in the cellar. The handpicked grapes were hand-sorted before destemming and crushing. The wine matured for four months on the lees before bottling. The result is a classic expression of the white grape varietal, with gooseberry and kiwi fruit on the nose followed by reinvigorating flavours of lemongrass and a lip-smacking, saline finish. Thanks to its origins near the ocean, pair this Sauvignon Blanc with Atlantic-inspired seafood - think lemon butter-fried scallops or ceviche.
Over the decades, the 21 Gables range has become a bastion of Spier’s proud 300-year old winemaking heritage. While it is uncertain when Sauvignon Blanc entered South Africa, estimates date to the late 1880s. Today, it is one of the five most planted varieties in the country. Spier is honoured that our 21 Gables Sauvignon Blanc is a benchmark for an unwooded expression that brings together the best of Cape terroir.
The 21 Gables Sauvignon Blanc 2020 can be purchased in Spier’s online store and top retailers across South Africa and dozens of countries worldwide.