10 Best White Wines for Summer

Monday, 30 September, 2019
Eugene Yiga
Summer is just around the corner. So get ready to sit back and enjoy some of South Africa’s best white wines under the sun.

Allée Bleue Isabeau 
Allée Bleue Wine Estate is situated in Franschhoek and owes its name to the giant ‘blue’ eucalyptus trees that line the entrance to the farm. The portfolio of wines on offer has become widely known as having something for everyone, from its upper echelon Premium wines to the easy drinking Starlette range.
The Isabeau from the Platinum Range is Allée Bleue’s flagship white wine and is a wooded dry blend of Chardonnay (68%), Semillon (21%), and Viognier (11%). The palate is silky with elegant flavours of summer fruits and a lingering lemony aftertaste. Serve this wine with Thai-style duck breast with a ginger jus and stir-fried noodles or chicken and a light saffron sauce with a side salad. www.alleebleue.co.za 

Avondale Anima 
Few wines embody the Avondale philosophy of Terra Est Vita – ‘Soil is Life’ – as succinctly as the estate’s acclaimed Anima (‘soul’ in Latin) Chenin Blanc. The 2016 vintage is once again proving to be a remarkable reflection of this pioneering biodynamic estate in the Paarl winelands.
A versatile wine marrying freshness with structure and palate weight, it works beautifully with everything from charcuterie to duck dishes.  www.avondalewine.co.za 

Boplaas Stoepsit Sauvignon Blanc
When you think of the houses of the quaint Karoo towns dotted along the Route 62 and beyond, one striking attribute that all share in common is the presence of a “stoep” or wrap-around patio. These stoeps serve as gathering places for friends, family, and passers-by, where stories are told, problems are solved, and one can take refuge from the day’s toil.
To celebrate Boplaas’s patriarch Ouma Roline, her love of Sauvignon Blanc, the innumerable afternoons she entertained friends and family on her stoep and the joy this has brought her, it is only apt that the Boplaas Sauvignon Blanc will be henceforth be bottled as the Boplaas Stoepsit Sauvignon Blanc. The tropical fruit mélange of flavours of this wine is best paired with grilled Kabeljou and thick home-style chips, or serve well chilled as an aperitif. www.boplaas.co.za

Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chardonnay 
Kleine Zalze has been making wine since 1695 and today, this family-owned winery situated outside Stellenbosch in the heart of the Cape Winelands, continues the tradition of producing wines of outstanding quality. The Vineyard Selection Chardonnay is noted to be full of flavour with layers of pear and citrus on the palate.
. www.kleinezalze.co.za 

Oldenburg Vineyards Viognier
Oldenburg Vineyards, the luxury boutique winery situated in the Banghoek Valley, has added a Viognier to their range of premium wines. The wine sports a lively, apple-yellow colour and the opulently perfumed nose shows ripe peach and rich vanilla aromas. The broad, well-filled palate is perfectly balanced by adequate acidity. The wine has enduring richness, good grip, and a long finish.
Viognier pairs well with spicy dishes with a hint of peach or apricot (echoing the flavours in the wine) or dishes with ginger, saffron, and coconut. Try it with mild spicy noodle dishes, rich shellfish dishes (such as seared scallops, grilled lobster, and baked crab, especially with a hint of spice), or sweet root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and spicy butternut squash. www.oldenburgvineyards.com 

Paul Cluver Sauvignon Blanc 
With the onset of long lazy days and breath-taking sunsets, the Paul Cluver Sauvignon Blanc is guaranteed to make the warmer weather so much cooler. 
The Sauvignon Blanc is clear and bright with a hint of green. The flavours on the nose are refreshingly clean, alluding to aromas of granadilla, grapefruit, gooseberry, and blackcurrant. Not stopping there, these flavours continue to the palate, delivering a superb creamy texture, which is due to the extended lees contact and inclusion of some Semillon. It’s the perfect aperitif and enhances the flavours of a fresh summer salad as well as lighter meat dishes. It also pairs beautifully with richer seafood dishes and even cheese platters. www.cluver.com 

Slanghoek Private Selection Chardonnay 
Slanghoek Cellar, situated along the increasingly popular Breedekloof Wine Route, has once again proved why its wines are worth seeking out among many other wine brands: top class drinking at a fraction of the price. This winery has steadily been gaining a reputation for producing wines that provide enthusiasts with quality drinking, no matter the price range, variety, or style it is made in. The wine is slightly oaked, with delicate whiffs of lemon on the nose with subtle lime and grapefruit notes on the palate. It is remarkably refreshing on its own, but makes for an amazing food partner to seared fish. www.slanghoek.co.za 

Steenberg Sphynx Chardonnay 
Steenberg Vineyards named their range of super-premium wines after three tall ships in the Royal Navy fleet that defeated the Dutch in the Battle of Muizenberg in 1795. Setting sail for the first British occupation of the Cape of Good Hope, the Ruby, Stately, and Sphynx were part of the fleet that advanced on Dutch strongholds in Muizenberg. Skirmishes ensued as the Dutch retreated including clashes on the Steenberg foothills.
Steenberg Sphynx Chardonnay is a lightly barrel-fermented Chardonnay that stems from specially selected vineyards in Robertson and Bonnievale. The wine teems with orange blossom, butterscotch, and yellow stone-fruit supported by a richly structured palate with nuances of quince and pear. Eminently drinkable now, it will age beautifully for a further two to five years. Enjoy it with shellfish, creamy soups, or grilled fish. www.steenbergfarm.com 

Vriesenhof Vineyards Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 
Nestled at the foothills of the Stellenbosch Mountain is where you’ll find Vriesenhof Vineyards, home to a range of superb wines suited to any occasion. Consumers can now experience a ‘refreshed look’ range that reflects an exciting new chapter in the Vriesenhof story. Throughout the years the brand has built up a strong reputation and following, offering consumers a range of wines that promises excellence and a discernible regional expression.
Aiming to provide true enjoyment of one of nature’s finest offerings, all Vriesenhof wines are now bottled under one label. The range comprises seven wines, including the Barrel Fermented Chardonnay with its sublime aromas of white peach and dried pear. www.vriesenhof.co.za 

Diemersdal Winter Ferment Sauvignon Blanc 
Making wine runs in the family at Diemersdal. Six generations of winemakers with one passion have made fine wines at the Estate since the 1800's. Today, Diemersdal is renowned for its award-winning range of Sauvignon Blancs. The 3rd vintage of the unique "frozen" Sauvignon Blanc - Winter Ferment 2019, has recently been released. This wine, made from grapes harvested in February 2019, undergoes fermentation in the South African winter months after the freshly crushed juice was frozen for four months to give the wine a uniquely expressive fruit profile. www.diemersdal.co.za

 

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Boplaas Stoepsit Sauvignon Blanc 2017
Boplaas Stoepsit Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Oldenburg Vineyards Viognier 2015 and Paul Cluver Sauvignon Blanc 2017
Oldenburg Vineyards Viognier 2015 and Paul Cluver Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Slanghoek Private Selection Chardonnay 2016
Slanghoek Private Selection Chardonnay 2016

Vriesenhof Vineyards Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2015 and Waverley Hills Chardonnay 2016
Vriesenhof Vineyards Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2015 and Waverley Hills Chardonnay 2016

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