Kumkani Sauvignon Blanc 2005

I liked but didn't love the Kumkani Sauvignon Blanc. I liked the fruity flavors of this wine, but found that it had somewhat of a grassy or herbal flavor that I didn't enjoy as well. (After reading the winemaker's comments, it may be the oak barrel that I'm also tasting). I also found it a little short on the level of acidity or tartness that I prefer. It has a twist-top cap, which bodes well for me in terms of flavor. (I swear... I can always smell and taste the mildew of the cork, and my allergies ).

Spec's price: $10.60.

My summation: I would definitely drink Kumkani again. I won't drive to the store to seek it out, but it is placed in my list of very drinkable (and enjoyable) wines.

Here's what the winemakers have to say (after all, this is about education!):

A very full bodied wine that contains an abundance of fruit flavours and a
spanking acidity. Pineapple, passionfruit and melon like flavours are all
present, in addition to a hint of Marlborough herbaceousness. A very lively and
approachable wine.

Viticultural practices: The vineyard location (10km from the Atlantic Ocean) seems tailor made for flavourful Sauvignon Blanc. The soil is a well-drained sandy loam with weathered granite. The fruit grows in the Helderberg Hills; this coastal area yields wines with an intensity of flavour and crispness not found in some of the more inland regions. The resulting wines lean in the direction of gooseberry, grassy/herbaceous styles rather than the pear, melon and tropical fruit.Sunny but cool and dry weather were experienced during the final ripening stage and the grapes were harvested at 23°B in end February. The vines are trained on a 5-wire hedge system, approximately 15 years old planted on a weathered planted granite type soil. The vines are grafted on
01-14 Mgt which delivered a moderate vigorous growth with a moderate but well aerated canopy. The vineyards were on a high slope facing False Bay (Atlantic Ocean). The interaction of vine, site, soil, marine climate and cultivation (terroir) yields complex fruit of outstanding quality. Yields per acre: 8 t/haNumber of cases per item produced: 4 500Appellation: StellenboschFiltration & fining: Bentomite (protein) PVPP (anti ---) S70 sheet filtrationVarietal composition: 97% Sauvignon Blanc / 3% ViognierWood treatment: Viognier (3%) was barrel fermented in 2nd fill. D&J 300LFrench oakWinemaker's notes: Same vineyard(night) harvested 5 times over 12 days to make more complex wine.

And comments from the more knowledgable folks (than me, certainly) at Southern Wines:

5/24/05 The 2004 Kumkani Sauvignon Blanc is all about value. It’s a straight forward, fruit driven style, medium bodied, supple textured with whiffs of cut grass, a touch of herb and notes of musk melon, grapefruit and a tropical fruit, pineapple richness aromatically. This has a nice fleshy mouth feel but it’s not racy or tangy in the classical sense of many New World versions, but still possesses good fruit intensity and acidity that keeps the citrus and melon flavors clean and focused. Drink this over the next year while the fruit still maintains its vibrant edge.