Steenberg Magna Carta 2010
Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc 2011
(Saturday 18 MAY 2013)
On Saturday 18 May, Steenberg will celebrate its signature cultivar - Sauvignon Blanc - with an annual event that will be known as the Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc Odyssey. Renowned as one of the top white wine cellars in South Africa, Steenberg is best known for this varietal, which first put the celebrated winery on the map. Sauvignon Blanc thrives in the cool Constantia climate where the South-Easter brings Atlantic sea breezes to the fragrant Cape Floral Kingdom set against the Stone Mountain, to create a unique terroir that lends great structure, and a strong sense of place to Steenberg’s Sauvignon Blancs.
The Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc Odyssey on Saturday 18 May will be an integrated sensory occasion for media, trade partners and consumers. Starting at 12.30, the focus of this culinary and tasting voyage will be a tutored Sauvignon Blanc Tasting with five different flights, featuring the different styles of Sauvignon Blanc on the local and international front – including a flight featuring Steenberg’s different styles, to showcase its versatility and longevity. This is intertwined with a sumptuous 5-Course Sauvignon Blanc and Food Pairing luncheon at Catharina’s, the farm’s modern fine-dining Restaurant.
After a glass of Steenberg’s legendary Methode Cap Classique on arrival, the journey will commence immediately. Eager to showcase his favourite cultivar, Pretorius says: ‘There is so much more to Sauvignon Blanc than the racy, fresh and crisp white wine we enjoy fresh off the harvest. It surfaces in many different styles, and makes a fantastic blending partner, and in the case of Constantia Sauvignon Blancs, has amazing ageing potential when it develops weight and serious complexity’.
Within its portfolio, Steenberg offers no less than four different styles of Sauvignon Blanc and a blend thereof. The cultivar therefore dominates its total vineyard plantings and is an integral part of Steenberg’s icon wine, Magna Carta, where Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon meet to create a complex, elegant wine with enticingly perfumed aromas of orange blossom, tangerine and green figs.
Steenberg’s Sauvignon Blanc Reserve too is a multi-award winning wine that is a true expression of Steenberg’s terroir, with its delicate freshness on the palate and beautiful creamy lingering aftertaste. The classic, signature Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc consistently shows mineral and great complexity, with Steenberg H.M.S. Rattlesnake Sauvignon Blanc positioned as the farm’s barrel fermented option. The lighter, more tropical style of the Klein Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc completes Steenberg’s hand-crafted range of Sauvignon Blancs.
During the Sauvignon Blanc Odyssey workshop Loubser and Pretorius will be characterising, differentiating and mystifying Sauvignon Blanc, with emphasis on its value as a blending partner and its phenomenal longevity. Entwined with the various flights will be a selection of dishes prepared by Executive Chef Garth Almazan, challenging Sauvignon Blanc to the extreme with the likes of Steak Tartare, Risotto, Veal Picatta to name but a few.
The Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc Odyssey presents a rare and enjoyable occasion for wine enthusiasts to kindle an appreciation for Sauvignon Blanc, and to leave with a much better understanding of this versatile cultivar. Tickets to this top quality food and wine event are R600 per person and pre-booking is essential. Reservations: Jackie Quail on jackie@steenbrg.co.za, or 071 248 5373.
