Located in the picturesque Elgin Valley and owned by James and Stuart Downes, Shannon Vineyards have released the 2014 vintage of their highly acclaimed site-specific Sanctuary Peak Sauvignon Blanc.The Elgin Valley is the coolest wine-growing area along South Africa’s south coast, where cooling south-easterly breezes and chilly summer nights allow for slow ripening and the development of intense fruit flavours. Shannon Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc expresses the highly-acclaimed Elgin elegance, minerality, good natural acidity and purity of fruit from the exceptional cool-climate setting, and brings its own unique contribution to the Elgin wine renaissance in terms of: the excellent quality of its vineyards; meticulous viticulture practices that ensure the ultimate expression of their unique terroir in their wines; and a passionate and dedicated team who deliver on excellence in the vineyards and the cellar.Ever since the release of the maiden 2008 vintage, the Shannon Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc has garnered widespread praise and shown itself as a wine to be reckoned with. This commendation includes: every vintage to date having been awarded 4½ stars in the Platter’s guide, several nominations for Platter’s 5 star rating, and scores above the venerable 90 point barrier from various highly regarded local and international wine critics including our very own Christian Eedes, the UK’s Tom Cannavan and Stephen Tanzer, American publisher of the International Wine Cellar, who referred to the Sanctuary Peak as “A lot of sauvignon blanc for the price–and one to seek out”.All seven vintages of the Shannon Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc to date have included an 11% -15% component of barrel-fermented Semillon, delivering a fuller mouth-feel, contributing to a fleshier mid-palate and adding to the complexity of the wine.With the release of the 2010 vintage of the Sauvignon Blanc, the name of wine, together with Shannon Vineyards’ two red wines, became site-specific, reflecting geographical features along the mountain range above the respective vineyards, namely Shannon Vineyards Sanctuary Peak Sauvignon Blanc, Mount Bullet Merlot and Rockview Ridge Pinot Noir.SHANNON VINEYARDS SANCTUARY PEAK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014Commenting on the 2014 vintage, James Downes says, “From early on this vintage has shown beautifully. The season produced a slightly smaller crop which has resulted in a more concentrated wine. The balance and integration has harmonized early and the wine is delivering generous fruit driven aromatics with a broader palate as the 11% of barrel fermented Semillon blended in rounds off the acidity and thus makes the wine approachable at an earlier age whilst also ensuring a great backbone for ageing potential.”Tasting notesThe supremely elegant, multi-layered and consistently excellent Shannon Vineyards Sanctuary Peak Sauvignon Blanc is beautifully poised with the Sauvignon’s zesty acidity and vibrancy balanced by the richer notes and breadth of the Semillon. This is a Sauvignon Blanc that makes an immediate impact with a powerful bouquet packed with citrus, gooseberry, tropical fruit, asparagus and green pepper with a touch of spice and a flinty mineral lift. The wine has excellent fruit purity and a juicy texture, revealing more depth as the wine opens up in the glass. It has lovely structure and enduring length, leaving no part of the palate untouched, and is vinified in a style that enhances the aging potential of Sauvignon Blanc, with plenty of flavour and structure for the long haul.In its first year the blend of this wine allows expression as a typical Sauvignon Blanc, but with bottle age it will become more evolved and should continue to drink beautifully for another 5 years at least.Retail priceShannon Vineyards Sanctuary Peak Sauvignon Blanc 2014 retails nationally for around R105.Food pairingThis food-friendly wine is a perfect match for sushi, tempura prawns or seared tuna. It will also pair well with a spicy chicken salad and even matches up well to a touch of curry.