The Afternoon Show with Dave Charles 📻

Amanda Mthembu presents this week's selection: TOKARA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 ORIGIN This wine is a blend of Sauvignon blanc grapes that originate from the Stellenbosch and Elgin regions. CROPPING AND HARVESTING The vineyards crop between 6 and 10t/ha and the grapes are harvested at various degrees of ripeness from 21.0 to 23 degrees balling, depending on acid, pH, flavour intensity and profile. All grapes are hand harvested. WINEMAKING The grapes are de-stemmed, crushed and pumped via mash cooler directly into our inert (oxygen free) press. Free-run and press juices were separated and settled overnight before being racked off the heavy lees and inoculated for fermentation with selected wine yeasts. Fermentation is controlled at 18 degrees Celsius in stainless steel tanks. 4 % of the wine fermented in barrel. After fermentation the wine was blended, stabilised and bottled in June 2023. 230 000 bottles were produced. TASTING NOTES The wine has a vibrant light straw colour with a brilliant pale green edge that catches the light. There is an appealing mix of fresh lime blossom, ripe passion fruit and sliced caped gooseberry on the nose. The wine enters the palate with concentrated flavours, consistent with the aromatics. The finish is refreshing and crisp with a slight oyster shell salinity derived from the grapes provenance on cool, maritime influenced sites. Food pairing: This wine is best enjoyed cold on a hot summer’s day. Either on its own or it can be served with grilled chicken, fish, prawns or fresh oysters.