Original Sin Sauvignon Blanc 2023
R840.00
Ageing Potential
Enjoy now or for the next three years
Blend Information
85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Semillon
The Vineyard
Name
In a valley named for Heaven, how could we resist a little Original Sin? While Chardonnay reigns in Hemel-en-Aarde, we broke from sourcing Chardonnay in pursuit of something forbidden, something thrilling: Sauvignon Blanc. This is a wine of cool-climate clarity, expressive fruit, and irresistible tension. A temptation you were never meant to ignore.
The Vineyard
Grown on Babylon Farm in the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, this cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc is a pure expression of site and soil. With its ocean-kissed slopes and slow-ripening conditions, the vineyard yields fruit of precision and grace. Released a year after vintage, Original Sin reveals itself slowly — a bold departure in a valley known for Chardonnay.
Climate
Cradled close to the Atlantic Ocean, the vineyards of the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge are shaped by a cool maritime climate. Southerly breezes sweep through parallel mountain ranges, carrying mist and cloud cover into the valley — softening the summer sun and keeping temperatures deliciously even. With an average of 19°C and gentle rainfall around 750mm a year, this is a place where grapes ripen slowly, gracefully, and with natural poise.
The Harvest
Hand-harvested in the cool of early morning, the Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon were picked in stages to capture layers of ripeness and nuance.
Winemaking
After gentle de-stemming and a cold crush under dry ice, the juice was settled for 48 hours at 10°C to preserve purity and perfume.
Fermented separately in stainless steel at cool temperatures (12–18°C), each variety was blended post-fermentation, then left to rest on fine lees for six months. The result is a wine of quiet complexity — bright, textured, and temptingly expressive.
Tasting Notes
Grown in shale and clay-rich soils, this cool-climate blend offers a bold contrast of richness and restraint. The Sauvignon Blanc brings bright tropical fruit, citrus, and a touch of wet stone, while the Semillon adds white florals, pear drop, and a whisper of lemongrass. A full mineral core carries through the palate, leaving a finish that’s crisp, layered, and quietly seductive.
