Bloemendal Suider Terras Sauvignon Blanc 2004
By Christian Eedes, 28 March 2024
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Some contend that Sauvignon Blanc is not age-worthy in the sense that with time in bottle, all that is achieved is harmony of aroma and flavour that was there from the beginning rather than extra complexity and interest. It’s a basic point of wine appreciation to debate: Is a wine’s survival over time rather than its demise not worth celebrating?
A bottle of the 2004 of Suider Terras from Durbanville property Bloemendal was compelling. The nose showed peach, apricot and honey with notes of rocket, fennel and fig in the background. Great palate weight (alcohol: 13.5%) and well-integrated acidity – rich and round but equally no shortage of freshness. Mellow and entirely pleasing, this certainly had rewarded the patience of keeping it for two decades.
CE’s rating: 94/100.
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Christopher Williams | 28 March 2024
I am curious, was it sealed under cork or screwcap?
Christian Eedes | 28 March 2024
Hi Christopher, It was sealed under cork. At the same occasion, we tasted Saint Clair Wairau Reserve 2006 under screwcap next to Cape Point Woolworths Limited Release 2006 – the Kiwi wine was super-reductive and the Saffa was evolved almost to the point of death…
Kwispedoor | 28 March 2024
Christian, what informs this result is the fact that cork will inevitably give varied results after all this time. I’m sure other bottles of this 2006 might be lekker. I have a 2007 of that Woollies version of the CPV – it was admittedly a better vintage than 2006, but I’m not getting anxious to drink it yet (I had it a couple of years ago and it was very good). Also, with the advances in screwcap technology (especially the liners) and winemakers getting more adept at the different nuances required when bottling under screwcap, reduction is becoming less and less of an issue.
Kwispedoor | 28 March 2024
It’s ideal when old wine completely evolves and gains in complexity, but I also wonder why people would insist on it as a prerequisite for maturing a wine. Old wine always changes with time and, even if it’s not perfect, has something that no young wine can have. That alone makes it special and worthwhile. For me, even very good young Sauvignon is mostly boring. And the ones that aren’t, are usually also the best candidates for maturation. Sure, some Sauvignons just go softer and then decay with age, but many just need time to become more interesting and drinkable. For now, my 2009 Suider Terras is staying right where it is.
Heleen Rabe | 4 April 2024
It’s really a no – brainer – if a winemaker decides on the use of cork, it has to be of the tech version( Treffino , Diam & similair ) .
Reasoning as follows ;
– lower carbon footprint that screwcaps , full sustainable , recyclable and its plantings in Mediterranean rim countries has a unique ecosystem which over time saw multiple fauna and flora species spawned , endemic to those forests. (Along with the French barrel oak forests , the probably most sustainable agri industries globally)
– guaranteed 0% cork taint (via organochlorines like TCA)
– the simultaneous removal of a purported 150-300 (the literature differs) other ” off- flavour ” compounds.
– tech cork is also 100% natural , but when weighed against a natural cork of the same dimensions , it is clearly heavier , ie more dense.
– greater closure density ensures far greater maturation possibilities , behaving more like screwcap , BUT due to OTR and diffusion does not cause reduction(which by the by exceeded cork taint as a fault, in number) at the IWC 2-3yrs ago and at many competions , with regularity.
Tech cork is natural cork , a natural closure in use for at least 750yrs re wine and other liquid. Science and knowledge has now allowed for this product to make a quantum leap in ensuring that this product remains viable. Use of natural cork is and has been in decline globally , in excess of a decade , exactly due to it’s unreliability and spoilage of product.
(as provided by winemaker Carl Schultz)