This is a predominantly Balance & Finesse wine, but it shares structural nuances of Bright & Crisp as described in the tasting note below.
Tasting Notes
Medium plus bodied, plus acidity with punchy aromas and flavors of grapefruit, melon, fresh cut grass, and salty minerality, along with slight touches of floral and almond notes.
Body is the impression of a wines weight, density, or its ‘mouth-feel’. Some wines feel weighty, or full bodied, while others feel light bodied. Wine runs the gamut from light to full, with most falling somewhere in between.
ACIDITY
Low
Moderate
Balanced
Crisp
High
Acidity is a foundational component in wine. In fact, low acidity, or ‘flabby’ wine (as the term suggests) is a negative. You can sense acidity mainly on the sides of your tongue. Acidity generally ranges from balanced to high. Crisp acidity adds freshness, making your mouth water. Acidity is a necessary element and helps to balance other components.
SWEETNESS
Dry
Off Dry
Medium Dry
Medium Sweet
Very Sweet
Most wines are characterized as dry to off-dry, but there are some grape varietals, like Riesling, that run the gamut from dry to sweet. The tip of the tongue mainly detects sweetness, which is why it is often the primary characteristic detected. Sweetness is derived from residual sugar that did not ferment into alcohol.
ALCOHOL
13.5%
Alcohol is the by-product of fermentation. Differing grape varieties have differing potential alcohol levels, but regardless warmer areas result in riper grapes resulting in higher alcohol. Alcohol level is an objective number, but its affect on its palate impression is largely determined with how well integrated and balanced it is with other components.
Quite possibly one of the best sauvignon blanc's we have had in this price range.
GRAPE VARIETAL(S)
Sauvignon Blanc
100%So-vee-NYON BLON
Sauvignon Blanc is grown throughout the world, and can have a wide range of aromas and flavors that vary depending on the terroir. It is most famous for White Bordeaux and the wines of the Loire Valley. The wines are typically Bright & Crisp, dry, and can vary from citrus fruit and pitted fruit, grass, mineral, herbs, and gooseberries. It is versatile with food, pairs particularly well with herbs and garlic, and is most famous for how well it marries with fresh goat cheese.
Duncan Savage started making his own wine as a side gig in 2011 while he was still the winemaker at Cape Point Vineyards. In 2016 he decided to focus on his eponymous brand, Savage wines.
After establishing his own winery, Mr. Savage purchased grapes from maritime and high-altitude sites that he knew well from his experience at Cape Point. He seeks to pick grapes early while they retain bright acidity, using whole clusters when the stalks are ripe, and practicing gentle extraction before aging the grapes in large oak barrels to help retain the individual character of the terroir.
The wines of Savage are characterized by energy, restraint, and structure with very complex aromas and flavors that speak to the balance of nature and nurture.