Sauvignon Blanc, usually in a fresh style, is a very popular wine choice during the South African summer months – and no surprise! Often fruity and refreshing, a well-chilled glass of this varietal is the ideal way to wind down at the end of a day or to relax with next to the pool. But is its refreshing characteristics limiting our expectations of this wine?

Can we actually put down a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc to mature and can we consider serving it with anything other than a green salad or seafood canapé?

As with all other varieties, the style in which the wine is made will answer the above questions. A Merlot is not a Merlot is not a Merlot. Some you drink while young and vibrant and others you carefully mature to later enjoy when its complexities have fully developed. The same with Sauvignon Blanc, Only difference is perception – the idea that Sauvignon Blanc (especially South African Sauvignon Blanc) is only an aperitif, that it cannot be seen as a serious wine and a versatile partner on the dinner table.

Making two styles of Sauvignon Blanc – one in a refreshing style using grapes from all the prime Sauvignon Blanc-growing areas in the Western Cape – and one from a single vineyard close to the Atlantic Ocean, each vintage at La Motte shows us the clear difference the terroir, origin and winemaking can make to the wine. We do believe that some Sauvignon Blancs should be matured – perhaps not as long as that intricate Cabernet Sauvignon, but a year or three can add a wonderful new dimension. We also believe that Sauvignon Blanc can be a very versatile partner on the dinner table. Yes, you do not only have to serve it with goat’s cheese and a bowl of greens!

Join us on Thursday, 26 March 2015 for a morning session at 11:00 or an evening session at 19:00 and experience Sauvignon Blanc to its full potential. An optional Sauvignon Blanc-paired lunch or dinner will end your visit and tasting on a high note – please make sure to mention whether you would like to join the meal when making your reservation.

Cellarmaster Edmund Terblanche will take you on a tour of the cellar to taste Sauvignon Blancs from various areas – fresh from the tanks. Then sit down to a tasting of Sauvignon Blanc from the La Motte Vinoteque. Edmund will guide you through the tasting explaining the different styles and characteristics of the wines while Pierneef à La Motte’s Chef Michelle Theron will explain the versatility of Sauvignon Blanc on the dinner table illustrated by examples of food types – some quite unexpected!

In anticipation, please try this delicious recipe for a corn and basil soup that can be served hot or cold. Do try it with your favourite glass of Sauvignon Blanc. In our case, it will definitely be the 2014 La Motte Sauvignon Blanc!

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