Country: South Africa  Region: Coastal Region  Vintage: 2013 Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc  Category: Red Wine  Color: Red Producer: Fairview Fairview is situated on the lower slopes of Mount Paarl, which is more... sheltered from the moderating maritime influence than nearby Stellenbosch. Vines were planted here as early as 1699. The property was bought by the grandfather of current owner Charles Back in 1937. Fairview has a reputation for consistent quality across a range of innovative styles, using both classic and unusual varietie, and leads the field in South Africa in matching varieties to specific sites. The Fairview estate now has a total of 680 hectares of vineyard over four appellations: Paarl (350 hectares), Swartland (155 hectares), Darling (140 hectares) and Stellenbosch (35 hectares). This vineyard ownership in so many different regions allows Charles to produce a wide range of wines, from grapes grown in optimal conditions. In 2014, Charles received a lifetime achievement award from the International Wine Challenge.   Vineyards The grapes were harvested from dryland farmed vineyards in Darling, where the vines are trellised and planted on deep red oakleaf soils. Viticultural techniques have evolved and include monitoring vineyards for optimal picking times, adopting a combination of sampling and tasting to optimise the rich, tropical notes in the final wine. Vintage Information The 2016 vintage was three weeks earlier than normal and, much like the challenging conditions of 2015, the winter season delivered less than half of the average rainfall across all areas. Early crop control measures were required to ensure quality - the Darling vineyards were thinned out to approximately four tons per hectare (25 hl/hectare). This resulted in much lower yields but allowed the production of a more tropical style of Sauvignon Blanc. Vinification The grapes were machine harvested from very early in the morning, arriving at the cellar before sunrise. Whole berries were put into the press, after which the juice settled and was fermented in stainless steel tanks. The wine was left on its fine lees after fermentation, prior to blending and bottling. Tasting Notes Bright light green colour in the glass with tropical aromas, green figs, nettle and guava. Fresh grapefruit flavours give way to lime undertones which contribute to the wine's generous mid-palate and lingering, crisp finish.