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: 2006 Ataraxia Sauvignon Blanc Western Cape

2006 Ataraxia Sauvignon Blanc Western Cape

SKU #1041865

91 points from the Wine Spectator and one of the Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2007: "A real live-wire, with crackling gooseberry, lemon zest, sea salt and floral notes followed by a long, tangy finish. Superdelicious. Drink now." (07/07) Winemaker Kevin Grant's minimalist approach to winemaking makes him more like a messenger, delivering the gospel of South African terroir. This lively sauvignon blanc is packed like a woman's suitcase with citrus, gooseberry and limestone aromas. In the mouth, the wine is soft and elegant, with lively acidity, rounded edges and flavors of sea air, lemon, grapefruit and limestone.

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2006 Ataraxia Sauvignon Blanc Western Cape

Wine Scores

Below is a listing of the wine review scores we frequently reference in our notes. While these sources remain an excellent source of information, we always recommend that you trust your own palate. Scores in these publications often represent the personal taste of an individual critic, which may not always coincide with your own. We have a huge team of excellent wine professionals that can match wines you've had in the past with new arrivals that meet your flavor profile.

: Allen Meadows - Burghound

: Connoisseurs Guide

: Gambero Rosso

: James Halliday

: James Suckling

: Malt Advocate

: Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

: International Wine Cellar

: Wine & Spirits

: Wine Enthusiast

: Wine Spectator

: The Wine News

: Malt Advocate

Price: $17.99

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WS 91

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Additional Information:

Varietal:	Sauvignon Blanc - One of the best known "international" varieties originally cultivated in France and considered the parent of, with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon. Sauvignon's wonderfully distinctive aromatics generate some of wine's most colorful descriptors, among them "cat pee," herbaceous, grassy, citrusy the world over. In France, the apex of Sauvignon Blanc production is the Loire Valley, in the appellations of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, where the terroir expresses itself most beautifully through the grape. Sauvignon Blanc is also the leading white grape varietal in Bordeaux, where it is paired with the fatter, richer Sémillon to varying degrees. Relatively easy to cultivate, though more suited to cool climates, Sauvignon Blanc has made inroads in Europe outside of France, especially in Northeastern Italy's Friuli and Alto Adige, but also on the Slovenian border. These lovely wines are often overshadowed by Sauvignon Blanc's achievements in the New World, namely New Zealand, South Africa and California. New Zealand's Sauvignon Blancs, more conspicuously fruity than most French examples, landed the small island nation on the world wine map in the late-1980s and 1990s. South African Sauvignons are one of the most successful international varieties produced in that country and are often quite elegant and affordable. In California, Robert Mondavi managed to, almost single-handedly, created a market for Sauvignon Blanc by renaming his oak-fermented version Fumé Blanc. While some wineries still use the name, California Sauvignon Blanc has secured its place in the California wine pantheon, particularly those from the Napa Valley. Washington State, Chile and Argentina also have considerable plantings of the grape.
Country:	South Africa - Now that it has adopted a multi-racial attitude, and now that the world has embraced its government and its exports, South Africa has become a major wine producer. Unfortunately, South Africa has had a difficult time joining the ranks of competitive winemaking countries. During the anti-apartheid sanctions in the 1980s, South African wine was dealt the huge blow when it was removed from the international market, and for political reasons it was quite difficult for wine producers to market wine to the black majority. Things are finally looking up for the wine industry here, and quality has never been higher. South Africa produces a grape cloned from Pinot Noir and Cinsault, called Pinotage, which is the country's unique varietal. Chenin Blanc (known as Steen) makes up one-third of its vines. Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Shiraz are becoming increasingly popular as are Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Click for a list of bestselling items from South Africa.