Johan Wegner from www.getwine.co.za certainly “gets” wine. Producers love him because he pays like clockwork at the end of the month. Winos love him for the best prices in town. And now the Cape Vintner Classification will surely love him because he embraces terroir with both hands and the tenderness of King Kong cradling Fay Wray.

To the inexperienced palate, telling the difference between Sauvignon Blanc’s from different regions is met with the same sentiment when one looks at a pair of identical twins – that you can’t tell the difference. But, as savvy wine drinkers you’ll know that despite the two having an identical genetic make-up their personalities are as unique as the freckles on your face. And when it comes to wine, there’s no bigger influence on personality than terroir!So, with this in mind we’ve put together a selection of four incredible Sauvignon Blanc’s from four different appellations. And because we know how difficult it can be to pick a favourite we are offering a Mixed Case of three of each of these wines at a special price of R849.

Delaire Graff Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Regular retail price R84 Getwine price R65 Save R19 pb The classic maritime Sauvignon Blanc, made from grapes sourced from four premium wine regions, reveals aromas of cut grass, asparagus and hints of citrusy tropical fruit. Discover a multi layered, complex mouth feel, a fresh and crisp vibrancy with lingering flavours of Cape gooseberry and zesty fruit with a subtle mineral finish.The 2012 conditions produced crops of notable quality. The cool harvest period and slow ripening of grapes resulted in smaller berries with intense colour, exceptional flavours and structure . La Vierge ORIGINAL Sin Sauvignon Blanc 2013 Regular retail price R82 Getwine price R65 Save R17 pb 91% Sauvignon Blanc, 9% Semillon.The profile of this wine is based on the vines planted on a variation of Shale and Clay based soils and the winetherefore expresses the broad richness of the clay on the palate and aromatic tropical fruit and mineral character on the nose. Using a blend of yeasts and the intrigue achieved with the portion of Semillon, it shows concentrated tropical melon and pear drop, with a hint of lemon grass character and a full mineral follow through on the palate. Hermanuspietersfontein No 7 Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Regular retail price R105 Getwine price R89 Save R16 pb Vigorous, intense & assertively bone-dry, 2013’s lees-enriched core allows for full varietal repertoire to emerge after few months. Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Regular retail price R97 Getwine price R69 Save R28 pb Fabulously vibrant, concentrated 2012 a delightful combination of fresh minerality & rich weightiness, derived from lees-ageing & barrel-fermented component. Stylish & harmonious.

By choosing four terroir sauvignon blancs, Johan is doing more for the Shrek varietal than FNB with their controversial Top Ten Sauvignon Blanc competition last year. The four chosen ones speak volumes: Steenberg, La Vierge, Delaire Graff and
Hermanusverylongafrikaansnamemadebyawinemakerwhowearsanaliceband. 

Johan is not the only retailer to embrace Sauvignon Blanc terroir. On May 31 Ultra Liquors are hosting a Mussels in May terroir tourney between competing Shreks from Durbanville and Darling. Coordinated by the Pendock Wine Gallery @ Taj, it will pit two leading west coast appellations with mussels in a feast fit for a strandloper.

The curtain will be raised on the event at the first Good Value Guru Soirée on Monday 24th February in the foyer of the Taj Hotel from 5-7pm when 50 Sauvignon Blancs will be available for tasting.

Johan compares the terroir differences between two Sauvignon Blancs to the freckles on the faces of two identical twins. Beautiful flaws. Or as Patti Smith sang it in Babelogue “we worship the flaw, the belly, the belly, the mole on the belly of an exquisite whore.”