A tale of two Semillon

As the crow flies, there’s no more than 5 kilometers between Constantia Uitsig and Steenberg Estate. Yet there’s a lot more than simply geography that ties these two wine estates together…

For starters, both farms make their wine at the same location: Steenberg’s world-class winery. Both farms have also garnered international attention for producing incredible wines. The recognition and awards that have followed are not only testament to a good working partnership, but a common winemaking philosophy too.

And so, on a beautiful October’s afternoon, Jacques (Uitsig’s winemaker) and I met up with JD (Steenberg’s winemaker) to taste Steenberg and Uitsig’s two current-release Semillons side by side. With both farms having attained a somewhat niche Semillon following, we were all looking forward to unlocking what sets each apart, as well as what they hold in common.

Just like their wine, both winemakers are a little reserved on the uptake, but give them a few minutes to breathe, and their depth and complexities really come to the fore.

The majority of Steenberg’s Semillon originates from a rare French clone, bought in from Bordeaux in the late 1980’s. This particular one is only found in 3 of the Cape’s wine farms – Vergelegen, Boschendal and Steenberg. It’s this old block up by Steenberg’s dam that produces about 60% of this wine, and thanks to it, notes of apricots, peach, tangerine and citrus are evident in our glasses. The younger blocks (planted in 2007) are identical to all of Uitsig’s Semillon (Clone 14) and make up the remaining 40% of Steenberg’s Semillon. Thanks to this block’s relative youth, there’s a fresh herbaceous note to the wine too.


more on uitsig.co.za