Sauvignon From The Stars

Sterhuis

From the farm who produces my sweetheart love of wine, I was not surprised to enjoy even the Sauvignon Blanc.

MCC:

• Blanc de Blanc (2010): 6 000 bottles produced, 100% Chardonnay, 36 months on lees in bottle, 0% dosage. Rye honey, marmeladey honey, pithy malt, flinty gravel.

WHITE:

• Sauvignon Blanc (2013): 15% natural ferment in old French oak. Green pears & apples, whiffs of apricot, passion fruit, soft, peach juice concentrate, gentle roundness, ladylike but intelligent (**)

• Unwooded Chardonnay (2013): Lees contact. Peaches & banana, apple & orange cream, stewed apple, orange & lime zest & pith. (*)

• Chardonnay (2012): Oxidizes for 5 days. Whole bunch press. Jasmine with digestive biscuits, whiffs of homey, pineapple cream tart, peach & orange honey, pithy, Elizabeth & Mr Darcy, burnt sugar, caramel, Juno wine. (***)

RED

• &Pino(tage) (2013): Exclusively made for &Union, accidental wine, older French oak. Berry chocolate fudge, pretty dark haired lady, sweet cherry syrup, spun sugar, big nose with shy palate, purple Chappies, Pinot Noir like soft tannins. (*)

• Astra Red (2006): 80% new French oak, 24 months,  flagship wine, 30% Merlot, 70% Cab Sauv. Purple jam, blueberry jam, tart grape Chappies, smoked balsamic, slightly over caramelized balsamic on pork.

Notes:

• 17^th century inhabitants used to see the house on the hill with fire outside – argues whether it was a star or a house
• Venus rises behind the hill
• When Wine – app
• Stressed yeast – produces glycerol (oiliness)
• Chard likes air – “you could throw it on the floor & mop it up & it wouldn’t be oxidated”
• Sauv & Chard made oxidatively vs reductively
• “Sauv doesn’t need to taste like grass or green pepper – green pepper is for pizza & grass is for smoking”