White Wine Lismore Chardonnay 2020. The Lismore estate has blossomed into one of South Africa’s leading cool climate wineries thanks to the vision of California winemaker Samantha O’Keefe who fell in love with the 300-hectare property after moving to the country in 2000. Today Lismore is especially well known for its excellent white wines like this sublime Chardonnay which thrive in the foothills of the Riviersonderend Mountain Range. Made in a style inspired by the crisp, refreshing Chablis wines of northern Burgundy, this bottling is made from mature vines planted at 300 metres of altitude on decomposed shale and clay soils. Conditions here are ideal for making light and fresh white wines thanks to the cooler climate, with the fruit typically harvested 3-4 weeks after most other South African wine regions. Once in the winery the fruit is slowly pressed in whole bunches and transferred to a mixture of 225, 300 and 500 litre neutral Burgundian barrels for fermentation and 11 months of maturation. This helps to emphasise the natural freshness and fruit flavours from the Chardonnay rather than adding lots of rich buttery notes. The nose is dominated by bright citrus and hints of white blossom while the first sip reveals a light body, mouthwatering freshness and a pure, clean finish that will pair well with seafood and grilled fish dishes.
2020
White Wine Lismore Chardonnay 2020
White Wine Livon Braide Grande Pinot Grigio 2020. The Livon family have been making wine in Italy’s north-eastern Collio region since 1964 when founder Doriino Lovin sold lumber to afford to buy his first vineyards here. Over the years he expanded the property as and when he could, and also constructed a state-of-the-art winery. Today the winery has a reputation for producing sensational white wines from both indigenous Friuli grapes and international varieties. The fruit for this single vineyard Pinot Grigio comes from the family’s prized Braide Grande vineyard in Dolegna del Collio which is planted on exceptional clay and marl soils. To ensure the grapes arrive at the winery in perfect condition they are harvested by hand in small boxes. Once in the winery they are macerated for 8 hours. 30% of the juice is then fermented in oak barrels with the remainder vinified in stainless steel tanks. After fermentation is complete the young wine is kept in these barrels and tanks for a further 8 months to add polish and refinement. As you would expect from Italian Pinot Grigio, this zingy white is bursting with bright citrus and hints of green apples on the nose. On the palate there’s a mouthwatering freshness and pure, clean finish which makes this a great wine to serve as an aperitif or match for fresh seafood, grilled fish, and sushi.
2020
White Wine Livon Pinot Grigio 2020. Livon winery is a true labour of love, with founder Dorino Livon selling lumber to afford to buy his first vineyards on the rolling hills of Collio close to Italy’s border with Slovenia. Over the years he added more vineyards to the property and built a state-of-the-art winery which specialises in producing delicious white wines from Friuli’s indigenous varieties. In Italy and beyond the estate is best known for its very affordable and excellent value whites which punch high above their pricetags. This Pinot Grigio is a textbook example of the Collio style with ample acidity and vibrant fruit. The region benefits from proximity to the Adriatic as well as the protection of the Julian Alps to the north which help produce balanced fruit with freshness and aromatics. The soils on the estate are typically composed of marl and sandstone, giving the wines a distinctive minerality and salinity. The grapes are carefully harvested by hand to protect quality and fermented in stainless steel tanks so the varietal character shines through in the finished wine. The young wine then rests on the lees for a few months to add polish and fully integrate the acidity. Crisp and elegant on the nose with plenty of citrus and green apple notes, this refreshing wine is ideal to serve as an aperitif or to sip by the pool on a hot summer’s day.
2020