2019 Gabriëlskloof Sauvignon Blanc

100% sustainably farmed Sauvignon Blanc, sourced from the coolest and windiest sites on the estate. Heavily influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, Walker Bay is a cool-climate grape growing region located on the Western Cape’s southern coast. Despite being best known for Burgundian-leaning Chardonnay and Pinot Noir production, Sauvignon Blanc is also widely planted here and the region is considered to produce some of South Africa’s top bottlings. Wild fermentation with native yeasts. Fermented and aged in stainless steel, with seven months of lees aging before bottling. 

Ever had a South African Sauvignon Blanc before? It’s almost like a New Zealand SB, but with less ripe tropical fruit. Aromas of herbs, pepper, cut grass, guava, peach, pineapple and citrus lead into a balanced, medium bodied wine with mouth watering but balanced acidity.

Originally founded in 2001, Gabriëlskloof was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for South African businessman Bernhard Heyns. Local farmer and grape grower Barry Anderson had heard of Heyns’ search for a suitable site for his winery and agreed to meet him at a farm just outside the town of Bot River in South Africa’s Walker Bay region. Like many farming sites now converted into vineyards in the Swartland, its fields had previously been planted to wheat and canola, but the two men both saw incredible potential in its location and exposure. Almost twenty years later, the winery remains family-owned and operated. Head winemaker Peter-Allan Finlayson is the son of legendary winemaker Peter Finlayson of Bouchard Finlayson and is an accomplished winemaker in his own right thanks to Crystallum, which focuses on single vineyard expressions of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. At Gabriëlskloof, he endeavors to produce sustainably farmed wines with minimal intervention in the cellar that capture the sunshine and cold Atlantic breezes which exemplify Walker Bay. Increasingly important to many wineries in South Africa, Gabriëlskloof also places great emphasis on running an ethical business that both fairly employs and uplifts the surrounding community.