Sold as a wine from Shannon Vineyards within South Africa but under the Downes Family brand in the USA for copyright reasons, this is a highly versatile, beautifully balanced rendition of Sauvignon Blanc. It is styled to lean more toward Bordeaux Blanc than Loire Sauvignon, based on use of a Bordeaux clone and inclusion of 11% Semillon, but I still found lots of pleasantly herbal aromas and good acidic definition. Especially promising for restaurant settings, but pretty damned strong under any circumstances.
Downes Family Vineyards, Elgin (South Africa) Sauvignon Blanc 2016
By Michael Franz