Wine of the Week - MAN Vintners Sauvignon Blanc

Hello, everybody, and welcome to Cépage et Cuisine, Mary’s and Brian’s wine and food blog.  Here in central Mississippi, it is hot, hot, hot!  This is the time of year for refreshing summer white wines.  Today, we’re highlighting a Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa.  Mary and I have little experience with South African wines.  We included one in a Sauvignon Blanc tasting event a couple of years ago, but were unimpressed with it.

I also have a confession to make.  I’ve sort of shied away from South African wines because of the apartheid history.  I sort of figured that during the apartheid years and economic sanctions, white landowners probably fared better than poor South Africans.  When apartheid ended and economic sanctions were lifted, international investment in South African wine allowed the same white wine producers to benefit again, so I’ve been reluctant to send my money to them.  I suppose it’s time to turn the page, though, and move forward.  So, we decided to try an inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa.

Man Vintners is the project of three friends who wanted to make a wine they would like to drink every day.  They named their winery with the initials of their wives, Marie, Anette, and Nicky, MAN Vinters.  The grapes for this wine are grown in an area called the Perdeberg Hills of the Paarl region, although the wine is labeled with the Western Cape appellation. Note that the wine is bottled under screwcap.  That’s an indication it is intended to be consumed while it is young, fresh, and fruity, so enjoy!

We paired it with a dinner of paneed tilapia and fresh, local, and seasonal Mississippi vegetables, squash, peppers, onions, and lady peas Mary bought at the farmers market.  Here are my notes on the wine.

Man Vintners Sauvignon Blanc Western Cape 2010.  I wanted to try another South African Sauvignon Blanc.  We had one a while back at an event on Sauvignon Blanc, but that one seemed vegetal to me, too much bell pepper and asparagus.  This one was quite the opposite.  The aromas were subtle, a little grapefruit citrus.  The palate was soft for a Sauvignon Blanc, but it did have refreshing acidity and notes of lemon and tropical fruit, perhaps peach and passion fruit.  It wasn’t very complex, but it was balanced and had short to medium length.  A good everyday wine, light and refreshing.  13.5% alcohol.  The wine was only $11 at Colony Wine Market in Madison.

That’s our post for today, a refreshing wine of the week for summertime.  Thanks for reading us at Cépage et Cuisine.  Check back again for more wine and food adventures.  In the meantime,

Cheers!

Mary♥Brian