Pale gold-straw color; green apple, pear, lemon, citrus zest, white peach, pink grapefruit, greengage plum-honey hint, white flowers, minerality-salinity on the nose and palate.
Dry (2.70 g/L RS); minimal tannins; crisp acidity (3.34 pH/6.80 g/L TA). Well balanced; smooth texture, mouthfeel. Medium body. Sophisticated, delicate, complex effort—definitely not the big fruit and razor-on-the-tongue acidity sauv blanc can achieve. Old World style rather than New Zealand, but has elements of New World texture and body. Both styles have their place. It is worth it to give this a try. 13.5% ABV
Southern Right is a small pinotage-sauvignon blanc specialist located on beautiful 1,100-acre site in the cool, maritime Hemel-en-Aarde Valley next to the ocean (thus the saline influence) just behind the old fishing village of Hermanus. Anthony Hamilton Russell founded the operation in 1994 with a mission to produce serious, age-worthy pinotage (South Africa’s signature red grape) with classic styling and refinement, plus sauv blanc for his white bottling. Russell purchased the home vineyard in 2005.
The website notes: “Southern Right’s strong, cooling, maritime influence and extremely old and stony clay-rich soils, combined with our tight focus on only two wines, have enabled us to re-define South Africa’s unique variety Pinotage with a more classically styled wine. Our lighter structured sandstone-derived soils combine with our clay-rich soils to produce a highly individual Sauvignon blanc, with marked minerality and complexity.”
The winery is named for the endangered Southern Right whale. The name earned because it was the “right whale” to harvest thanks to it meat and oil. Those qualities are also the reasons right whaltes were hunted to almost extinction. The winery is located near Walker Bay—and sometimes this wine is identified as “Walker Bay” instead of “Cape Coast”. Walker Bay is part of the Cape Coast and is a favorite spot for whale watching, including right whales. A portion of each sale of Southern Right goes to whale conservation and protection.
Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc, Cape Coast, South Africa 2024—zesty, bright, balanced, smooth, touch of salinity, touch of honey and greengage plum in a sophisticated blend of Old World complexity and reserve and New World texture and body. Clear alternative to New Zealand style. Very clean, fresh, linear, subtle, with sapid finish. $15-18
Pairing—Raw and lightly cooked shellfish, oysters, shell-on prawns, sushi, sashimi; grilled sea bass with olive oil, snook, mackerel, fresh crab, grilled yellowtail; Thai cuisine, green curry, Thai chicken salad. Grilled chicken or lamb with powerful marinades; light pasta dishes with pesto, tomatoes, greens. Cheese—Goat cheese is classic; fresh chèvre, crottin de chavignol, herb-crusted goat cheese; feta. Soft, fresh cheese, ricotta, fresh mozzarella, burrata. Semi-soft, young brie, asiago. Aged, gouda, gruyère.
