21 Gables Sauvignon Blanc 2023

EAT & DRINK
Perfectly paired with lemon butter-fried scallops, ceviche or leek and white mushroom soup with a dollop of Gorgonzola cheese and citrus zest.

This is a concentrated single-varietal wine that projects like a blend. Layered and complex, we achieved this by picking at different ripeness levels from two vineyards planted on the slopes of the Tygerberg Hills. The result is a concentrated midpalate with impressive viscosity and freshness. This is luxury bottled.

- Johan Jordaan, Cellar Master, Spier

ABOUT THE WINE
As a proudly South African winery dating back to 1692, the 21 Gables range pays homage to Spier’s winemaking heritage of more than 300 years. The 21 architecturally significant gables remain preserved on the estate to this day. While it is uncertain when Sauvignon Blanc entered South Africa, estimates date back to the late 1880s. Today, the white grape is one of the five most planted varieties in the country, loved for its zesty and fresh character. The 21 Gables Sauvignon Blanc follows suit, offering an unwooded expression that brings together two distinctive, cool-climate vineyards.

VARIETAL	100% Sauvignon Blanc
WINEMAKER	Johan Jordaan
ORIGIN	Cape Town
PEAK DRINKING	Enjoy now or cellar for up to 10 years
WINE ANALYSIS	Alc: 13.63%	RS: 1.6 g/L
	TA: 6.2 g/L	pH: 3.30

VINEYARD & TERROIR
Sauvignon Blanc loves a sea breeze for a slightly extended hang time on the vine, so we source fruit from a maritime climate. The two vineyards are based on the slopes of the Tygerberg Hills, just 16 km from the cold Atlantic Ocean. Planted in weathered shale, the warm days and cool nights mean berry ripening is very controlled. The 25-year-old vines have deep roots, resulting in excellent water retention to yield fruit with a wonderful saline quality. To create added complexity and layers, we harvest at different ripeness levels. It’s a laborious process, but the result is worth it.

WINEMAKING
Only the best bunches were hand-harvested early in the morning in 8 kg lug boxes.
We specifically use smaller boxes to ensure the fruit is not crushed and the quality
remains high. Once the grapes arrive in the cellar, they are pre-cooled before hand-sorting, destemming and crushing. After six hours of skin contact, the free-run juice was settled overnight before inoculation with a selected yeast strain. The fermentation took place under controlled temperatures between 11° and 13°C. The wine matured for four months on the lees before bottling.

COLOUR, NOSE & PALATE
Pale lemon-green in glass, this vintage is bright, fresh and has an invigorating sea-breeze
character. Gooseberry, passion fruit, elderflower and kiwi fruit jostle with the delicate herbal scent of blackcurrant leaf, while the palate is balanced out by refreshing hints of lemongrass and a saline finish.