Alvi's Drift Signature Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (South Africa) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a delicious Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa that made its debut at the LCBO last month in the February 15 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection and is readily available for purchase across Ontario.

It is produced by Alvi's Drift Winery, a family-owned and award-winning winery that was founded in South Africa's Western Cape by Alvi van der Merwe and his wife, Hester, in the early 2000s. The family's patriarch, Albertus Viljoen "Oupa Alvi" van der Merwe, is known for scoring the first try against the All Blacks on African soil in 1928. In 1930, Oupi Alvi commissioned a low-water bridge to be built across the Breede River on their family farm. This bridge was locally christened, and is still known today as "Alvi's Drift", after Oupa Alvi, as he was instrumental in building it. A few years before retiring from rugby, Oupa Alvi acquired a piece of fertile farmland nestled on the banks of the Breede River in the Western Cape's majestic Breede River Valley.

Today, the family farm is in the hands of Alvi van der Merwe, grandson of Oupa. Alvi and Hester turned both the farm and the family legacy of crafting exceptional wines into a vision that surpassed all expectations. Alvi is widely known for being a perfectionist, while also being dedicated and passionate about the winemaking craft. Although he initially studied medicine, his passion for creating world-class wines from this family's vineyards persisted, and in 2003 he returned home from practicing abroad to assist his father, Bertie, with managing the family's orchards, vineyards, and winery.

While Bertie was focused mostly on bulk wine production, Alvi began exploring his passion for winemaking. After one harvest, once Bertie had picked all of his grapes, Alvi was allowed to pick and use any remaining grapes. He put in a lot of effort to create a bit of Chardonnay and Muscat de Frontignan and bought his own barrels and bottles, and actually won quite a few awards with his first wine and Alvi's Drift Winery was born.

Like the delicious 2021 Alvi's Drift Signature Chardonnay I enjoyed about a year and a half ago, this 100% Sauvignon Blanc is also from their Signature Range that offers unpretentious, fruit-driven flavours of exceptional quality at an incredible price point. The grapes were grown in the ideal Mediterranean microclimate of the Western Cape, near the life-giving Breede River, where the vineyards are ideally positioned for producing remarkable wines of unique character and complexity. Alvi’s Drift vineyards are sustainably fertilised with natural compost produced on their own farm, and meticulously managed to ensure optimal quality and flavour. The grapes were selectively hand-harvested in the cool, early morning hours to ensure only the healthiest, perfectly ripe bunches are used for production. To vinify this wine, the winemaking team strongly focuses on preserving the fruit-driven expression of the grapes, and uses only premium free-run juice of the highest quality to create this unwooded wine. To ensure maximum flavour retention, the clarified juice was cold-fermented in stainless steel tanks, and spent a few months on its lees before fining and stabilisation.

The 2023 growing season in South Africa was beset with various challenges, beginning with a relatively mild and dry winter, followed by early budburst and flowering. Summer was cold and wet, which slowed ripening. However, harvest took place at a relatively normal pace. From a good vintage that features wines exhibiting elegant and cool-climate characters, let's see how this 2023 Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

ALVI'S DRIFT SIGNATURE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#41453) (XD) - $14.95
Screw cap. The reserved, medium intensity nose delivers lemon/lime citrus aromas nuanced with stone fruits, green fruit, and touches of ripe tropical fruit, herbs, gooseberry, and leesy characters. It's medium-full bodied, fairly concentrated, dry, and ripe with slightly honeyed and tangy flavours of lemon/lime citrus, green fruits, stone fruit, and gooseberry joined by some savoury leesy and spice notes. It has fresh, zesty, and tangy acidity, while the tangy mid-palate leads to lemony and savoury earthy mineral notes on the long and juicy finish. This recommended buy will be a fine match with salad. Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious wines by Alvi's Drift Winery can be ordered through their Agent - Churchill Cellars Ltd.