2022 Waterkloof Circumstance Sauvignon blanc

Waterkloof, founded by Frenchman Paul Boutinot, is located in the Helderberg 'ward', within the Stellenbosch district. The vineyards are located a few kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean. Paul and his right-hand man, Christiaan Loots, work organically and biodynamically and the vineyards are only entered with horses, no tractors. In just a few years, Waterkloof has built up a strong reputation.

When you drive into the farm you will see the cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens and horses that we use for their manure, weed control and many other purposes. The soils are free of chemicals and are kept healthy by using plant extracts, fungi and bacteria from our own natural compost. By healthier soils we mean vines with roots that dig deeper than 5 meters, which really expresses the terroir.

These traditional methods, combined with a windswept, southwest-facing vineyard, create a balanced and naturally low-yielding vine that produces intense flavors. The vineyards are located about 5 kilometers from the sea and are planted at an altitude between 270 and 300 meters above sea level. The soils are of sandstone origin with medium sized stones, which aid in drainage and also moisture retention. The vineyards are on average 21 years old.

The winemaking philosophy is the same for all Waterkloof premium white wines. We follow a traditional, minimalist approach, which means we interfere as little as possible with the winemaking process. This allows the flavors that prevail in that specific vineyard to be expressed in the wine. To achieve this, all grapes are harvested for flavor, hand-picked, hand-sorted and finally pressed whole bunch in a modern press so that they can extract the purest juice in the gentlest possible way. The sap is then left to settle naturally for 24 hours. Because no chemicals are sprayed into the vineyard, wild yeast can be used to ferment the juice in used oak barrels of 600 liters.

This leads to a longer fermentation process with a slow release of aromas and a more structured palate. The natural fermentation process took 6 months, after which the wine was allowed to mature for another 2-4 months. No acid or enzymes are added during the winemaking process, with only light filtration and a small minimalist addition of sulfur as a preservative prior to bottling.

Under the name Circumstance, he makes one of the very best South African Wooded Sauvignon Blancs. As the name suggests, it is a combination of circumstances that makes this wine so unique. It is made from old bush vines, planted near the sea, which gives you a long growing season with the development of fine acids and minerals.

The Circumstance Sauvignon Blanc has a mineral nose with stone fruit and fennel. Powerful and rich taste beautifully balanced by the acidity present. The Sauvignon Blanc is very versatile and shows distinct terroir characteristics with great freshness, lime notes and also a bit of gooseberry. The taste is very elegant, refined and lingers well in the aftertaste.