It’s Sauvignon Blanc Day on the 3rd of May
It may be getting chillier in South Africa, but that doesn’t deter the wild white grape of Sauvignon Blanc from filling our glasses, particularly as it’s Sauvignon Blanc day on the 3rd of May.
Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most widely planted wine grapes in the world and because of this it has a wide range of styles and flavours. Although it can be grown almost anywhere there are very few places that can produce a Sauvignon Blanc of stunning quality.
A large part of the magic is rooted in the vineyards where the soil type, slope, aspect and mesoclimate conspire to give the grape that illusive essence that sets a wine apart. The vineyards we harvest in Elim and Elgin have that alchemy that allows us to reverently express this grape’s potential through a meticulous process. Creating a crisp Sauvignon Blanc with long, lingering flavours is a technical process and Free Run is the most detailed and risky of our creative practises.
We treat the fruit with fanatical care to retain as much of the natural, zesty, floral freshness as possible. Once our grapes are softly destemmed they are gently transferred into a skin contact tank named Rebecca. This overnight skin contact imbues them with intense flavour and aroma. From here the grapes are pumped into a press. As they enter the press, some of the juice runs through the drain of the press naturally – this is the free run juice. We use lots of inert gas to chase oxygen away at every stage. It is mostly this juice, with ultra low levels of phenolic substances that we use in our Free Run Sauvignon Blanc.
This method means we are able to capture the ethereal essence and zing of the Sauvignon Blanc grape. We use a traditional stirring of the lees once fermentation has finished to craft a succulent, mouth-watering, balanced and above all, drinkable wine.
Sauvignon Blanc carries memories of summer, a promise of spring and a crisp versatility that makes it most welcome through the cooler months. We’ve reflected this passage of seasons on the bottle with an ancient Celtic symbol, representing the cycle of nature and echoing the journey our grapes make from the vineyard, through the winery and to your glass.
Colour
Clean, brilliant pale with a hint of limey greenness around the rim.
Bouquet
A Complex nose of green pepper, fig leaves, passion fruit and limey aromas is followed by a distinctive, bright flintiness.
Palate
The complexity of the nose is expressed on the palate giving this wine a full, crisp and lively mouth-feel, with an after taste that lingers.
Food
Pairs well with foods that offer a certain amount of zest, combining particularly well with veal lemone and grilled calamari. Also try it with steamed asparagus, a spaghetti vongole, an avocado soup or an herbed risotto!
