Celestina Agulhas White 2023

Caroline Rilemma, who sells fine wine in Cape Town under the Caroline’s Fine Wine Cellar banner, has her own Baardskeedersbos vineyards, a Sauv-Sem blend called Celestina first bottled in 2009. While the wine was made at the near-by Black Oystercatcher cellar until 2022, Rilemma recently set up her own production facilities, the 2023 the first vintage to be vinified on-site (Tim James provides background here).

Consisting of equal parts Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, the former kept in older oak and the latter in amphora, maturation lasting nine months. The nose shows peach, yellow apple, thatch, fynbos and white pepper while the palate has good fruit weight, creamy texture, and well-integrated acidity, the finish gently savoury. Alcohol is relatively moderate of 13% and yet the wine has a nice roundness about it. Price: R329 a bottle.

CE’s rating: 92/100.

Check out our South African wine ratings database.