LIQUID INVESTMENTS
MICHAEL FRIDJHON: Zesty and fresh, the sauvignon blanc is more than a product of place
The role of the winemaker extends well beyond a choice of harvest dates
Sauvignon blanc has had something of a chequered history in SA. It first appeared (in the era of the modern wine industry) in the early 1980s but its popularity was almost immediately superseded by chardonnay. Then, at the time of the fake chardonnay scandal, it swept back into fashion. More recently it seems to be marking time, with other cultivars enjoying the limelight. Nominally a particularly heat-sensitive variety, sauvignon has always been marketed as the product of place (with words such as "cool climate" appearing on most back labels). This suggests that style is largely determined by factors beyond the control of the winemakers. Grapes from cooler sites generally present as "grassy" while those from warmer ones are more "tropical". The truth, however, is that the winemaker elects when to harvest: less ripe will deliver more herbaceous notes, enhanced ripeness anything from canned gooseberries to passion fruit. Of course, some vineyards deliver their own particularities suc...
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