Every glass of wine paired with your meals matter, but that very last glass of liquid gold is the one that completes the entire experience, the cherry on the top, so to speak. Paired with dessert, or a fine cheese platter, it’s vital that the wine compliments and enhances that final bite.
After a leisurely Sunday lunch of homemade tagliatelle with a mushroom truffle-infused sauce, a light dessert is served accompanied by Quoin Rock Wine Estate’s newest release – the Vine Dried Sauvignon Blanc 2019.
The apple crumble with vanilla bean ice cream is not as sweet as it sounds, so it needs a wine that balances it out. I have to take a minute to appreciate the beautiful aesthetic of the bottle. In true Quoin Rock style, the design matches everything that the wine estate is – sexy, intriguing and styled on point. The 375ml bottle is a deep brown colour and the cork has a metal button on the top with a ribbon lever that allows you to open the bottle without too much hassle.
I have always admired the estate’s label, it is simple but powerful, and represent new world wine. It’s almost a symbol of taking wine into a new era, very much what the owners of the estate have done for the vineyard and the chic restaurant Gatė. There is a strong focus on art and the wine follows suit.
The Vine Dried Sauvignon Blanc 2019 expels a sweet aroma immediately after it is opened, but the deep gold colour is really what you should be impressed with. You almost expect the liquid gold to pour out of it if the design is anything to go by.
But wait, there is more to impress you. The wine is sweet on the first taste, then on the second and third sip you get the fresh fragrance of dried pineapple and a light tropical scent.
It tastes as rich and golden as it looks, and is very much what Sauvignon Blanc drinkers expect from their aperitif. It truly is a luscious wine, tinged by sweet spices and well-balanced in acidity. It would pair perfectly with any fruit based dessert, lucky for me, the apple crumble flavours are enhanced tenfold.
Viticulturist Nico Walters explains the meticulous and time-consuming process the vineyard team use to ensure that the desired end result is achieved: “Our Vine Dried Sauvignon Blanc is made in a rather unique way. Each individual grape bunch is pinched at the stalk to stop the flow of water and nutrients. This process causes the bunches to dry whilst hanging on the vine.”
“This takes approximately one month and results in a bunch filled with flavour and sugar. This method is applied to one particular Sauvignon Blanc vineyard, selected because of its exposure to the sun, which contributes the rich tropical flavours” he added.
The only complaint is that there wasn’t more to enjoy, but it is meant to be drunk in small doses, so the overconsumption would be my fault. The wine is an interesting addition to their Quoin Rock and Namysto wine range of which I am a huge fan, so this falls in line, and in place, effortlessly.
What you need to know:
Cultivar: Sauvignon Blanc 100%
Vintage: 2019
Origin: Simonsberg Stellenbosch
Winemaker: Drew Harty
Wine Analysis
Alcohol: 10.0%
Residual sugar: 129.5g/l
Total Acidity: 6,8g/l
Aging potential: More than 15 years from vintage.
It is available at R350 per bottle. To place a direct order, shop online at www.quoinrock.co.za/shop