Organic and Biodynamic – more than just buzzwords

Organic and Biodynamic – more than just buzzwords

Isabel de Waal21 July 2022     As consumers become increasingly concerned about what they eat and drink and the impact of their choices on the environment, the organic food and beverage market has grown steadily. This trend has also been reflected in the...
Wine Lees

Wine Lees

Dr. Carien CoetzeeBasic Wine31 May 2022   What are wine lees? The word ‘lees’ is used to define the heterogeneous matrix that is deposited during pre- and post-fermentative decantation of must and/or wine. It is the residue/sediment that settles at the bottom of...
Comparing bentonites

Comparing bentonites

Dr. Carien Coetzee Basic Wine 30 May 2022   Clarification and stabilization of wines are important processes to prevent turbidity and precipitation issues after bottling. Bentonite fining is commonly used by the wine industry as a clarifying agent and is a...
Glycerol – does it really contribute to mouthfeel?

Glycerol – does it really contribute to mouthfeel?

Dr. Carien CoetzeeBasic Wine30 March 2022   What is glycerol?   Glycerol is one of several polyols present in wine and the pure substance is a colourless, odourless, non-volatile sugar alcohol with a slightly sweet taste and a viscous nature. Pure glycerol...
Juice solids and clarification 101

Juice solids and clarification 101

Dr. Carien CoetzeeBasic Wine28 February 2022   Juice clarification before fermentation is an important consideration in the production of Sauvignon blanc wines. Pressed juice appears cloudy due to the presence of various solid compounds extracted from the skins...
Washing Grapes

Washing Grapes

Dr. Carien CoetzeeBasic Wine27 February 2022   Proper sanitation practices in wine cellars prevent the development of undesirable microorganisms. It is essential that all equipment used during the harvest is cleaned and sanitised effectively before, during and...
Nutriferm X – Frequently Asked Questions

Nutriferm X – Frequently Asked Questions

Dr. Carien CoetzeeBasic Wine9 December  2021   Nutriferm X is certainly taking the wine industry by storm. We asked Lida Malandra from Enartis South Africa a couple of Frequently Asked Questions regarding the innovative yeast nutrient.   What is Nutriferm X?...
The beauty of “blackcurrant” aroma

The beauty of “blackcurrant” aroma

Dr. Carien CoetzeeBasic Wine30 October 2021   4-Mercapto-4-methyl-pentan-2-one (4MMP) is one of three main sulphur-containing compounds often found in Sauvignon blanc wines. The aroma of 4MMP is traditionally described as ‘blackcurrant’ and ‘box-tree’, with ‘cat...
CO2 sparging of Sauvignon Blanc JUICE

CO2 sparging of Sauvignon Blanc JUICE

Dr. Carien CoetzeeBasic Wine30 October 2021   Inert gas sparging is often used as a tool to reduce the concentration of dissolved oxygen in wine thereby minimizing oxidation reactions which can be detrimental to the wine’s quality. Theoretically, dissolved carbon...
2020 VINTAGE EXCELS IN SAUVIGNON BLANC SA TOP 10

2020 VINTAGE EXCELS IN SAUVIGNON BLANC SA TOP 10

Download the 2021 Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 Booklet Cheers to South African Sauvignon Blanc, especially those of the 2020 vintage! Sauvignon Blanc South Africa has announced the winners of the 2021 Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 competition – and no less than seven of the...
Elemental sulphur spray – Part 2: Residues during winemaking

Elemental sulphur spray – Part 2: Residues during winemaking

Dr. Carien CoetzeeBasic Wine30 September 2021   Elemental sulphur (S0) plays an important role in powdery mildew management during the growing season. However, several reports have shown that S0 residue concentration of more than 10 μg/g in the must can result in...
Light Strike – Part 2

Light Strike – Part 2

Dr. Carien CoetzeeBasic Wine29 August 2021   Light-Strike occurs when riboflavin (naturally occurring in wine) is elevated to an excited state due to light exposure leading to the oxidation of amino acids which may in-turn lead to the development of particularly...
Light Strike – Part 1

Light Strike – Part 1

Dr. Carien CoetzeeBasic Wine29 August 2021   Exposure to light can potentially induce major changes to a wine’s composition. This effect mainly occurs in bottled white and rosé wines exposed to light1 and is commonly referred to as the “light-struck taste”,...
Fault Focus – “Corked” Wine under screw-cap?

Fault Focus – “Corked” Wine under screw-cap?

Dr. Carien CoetzeeBasic Wine30 July 2021   Mouldy or musty aromas in wine are probably one of the most unpleasant oenological defects. Corks have been singled out (rather unfairly) as being the main source responsible for “cork taint”, and although cork can be a...
Fault focus – Geosmin dragging your wine through the mud

Fault focus – Geosmin dragging your wine through the mud

Dr. Carien CoetzeeBasic Wine30 June 2021   Imagine your wine being described as “damp soil”, “earthy”, “musty”, “muddy” and “beets”. A compound called geosmin is usually responsible for these unwanted nuances in wine.  Often confused for TCA, which contribute...
KPA to the rescue – the solution to tartrate stabilisation

KPA to the rescue – the solution to tartrate stabilisation

Dr. Carien CoetzeeBasic Wine30 June 2021   Grape juice naturally contains potassium and tartaric acid, which associate together to form the salt potassium hydrogen tartrate (KHT). KHT is soluble in grape juice but the solubility decreases as the ethanol...
Global and local wine trends – Wine consumers – Part 6

Global and local wine trends – Wine consumers – Part 6

Dr. Nadia van der Colff Consumer Solutions 20 May 2021   In this blog post (the last in the Wine Consumer Series brought to you by Sauvignon Blanc SA), current global and local consumer trends are addressed with some insights relevant to South African wine and...
CILMOR WINERY

CILMOR WINERY

R43 VILLIERSDORP ROAD #Sauvblancday Top 10 Winner Cilmor Wines #Limited Edition up for grabs! To celebrate Sauvignon Blanc Day, two cases of six bottles each of the Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 winner Cilmor Wines Limited Edition Sauvignon Blanc 2019 are up for grabs....
JORDAN WINE ESTATE

JORDAN WINE ESTATE

Stellenbosch Kloof Road, Stellenbosch #Sauvblancday Tasting with Jordan’s Wine Ambassadors One of Jordan’s Wine Ambassadors will guide you through a comparative tasting of older vintage Sauvignon Blanc vs current vintage Sauvignon Blanc, as well as wooded...
NEETHLINGSHOF ESTATE

NEETHLINGSHOF ESTATE

Pokadraai Road, Vlottenburg, Stellenbosch, 7600 #Sauvblancday Complimentary Sauvignon Blanc Tasting Celebrate International Sauvignon Blanc day with Neethlingshof from the 7 May – 9 May 2021. Visit the Estate and enjoy a complimentary tasting of the newly released...
GROOT PHESANTEKRAAL

GROOT PHESANTEKRAAL

Groot Phesantekraal Wine Farm, Klipheuwel Road, R302, Cape Town, 7550 #Sauvblancday Delicious palate teaser straight from the tank for FREE! Join us on the 07th of May International Sauvignon Blanc Day, and be the first to tast our Sauvignon Blanc 2021 straight from...
DURBANVILLE WINE VALLEY

DURBANVILLE WINE VALLEY

Durbanville Wine Valley #Sauvblancday #DrinkDurbanville #DurbanvilleSauvBlanc Enjoy the finest Sauvignon Blanc and hospitality in Durbanville. The Durbanville Wine Valley is synonymous with award-winning Sauvignon Blanc and is offering a special 18-bottle collection...
CONSTANTIA WINE ROUTE

CONSTANTIA WINE ROUTE

Constantia Wine Route, PO Box 224 Steenberg, 7947 #Sauvblancday Constantia Sauvignon Blanc Route The Constantia Wine Route is proud to launch a South African first – a varietal-based wine route The brand new Constantia Sauvignon Blanc Route will be available at six...
GLEN CARLOU

GLEN CARLOU

Klapmuts – Simondium Rd, Simondium, Stellenbosch #Sauvblancday wine, food and art @Glen Carlou WINE TASTING @ GLEN CARLOUOur Glen Carlou experience is about sharing and delighting in wine, food and art. Discover our award-winning wines or indulge in a wine...
DIEMERSDAL WINE ESTATE

DIEMERSDAL WINE ESTATE

M58 (Koeberg Rd), Durbanville, 7550 #Sauvblancday Celebrate Sauvignon at Diemersdal The South African winelands will join the rest of the world in celebrating International Sauvignon Blanc Day on 7 May this year, and with good reason. Not only are some of the best...
SPIER WINES

SPIER WINES

Annandale Road, Stellenbosch, 7600 #Sauvblancday Linear tasting featuring various Sauvignon Blanc wines Join us at Spier Tasting Room from 7-9 May as we celebrate #SauvBlancDay for linear tasting featuring various Sauvignon Blanc wines from four of our core ranges....