NEIL ELLIS WINES RECEIVE A MAXIMUM 5-STAR RATING

FOR THEIR GROENEKLOOF SAUVIGNON BLANC

Neil Ellis Wines, whose focus has always been, and always will be, on sourcing superior grape-varieties from low-yielding, hand-picked vineyard lots in the Cape’s best sites, received a coveted five-star rating in the 2016 Platter’s South African Wine Guide for their Groenekloof Sauvignon Blanc 2015.

A total of 83 five star wines, as well as three five star brandies and one five star husk spirit, are featured in the 2016 guide: this maximum rating reserved for wines that are “South African classics”. And a South African classic, the Neil Ellis Groenekloof Sauvignon Blanc certainly is.

It was trailblazing pioneer Neil Ellis who put the Darling district and the Groenekloof ward on the wine map when he began using grapes from Darling in 1986 and became the first person to release a wine from this area with his Groenekloof Sauvignon Blanc in 1991, spearheading wine industry interest in the cool-climate possibilities of the area. The Neil Ellis Gronenekloof Sauvignon Blanc was hailed as “breathtaking stuff”, and “one of South Africa’s most exciting Sauvignon Blancs”, and Neil Ellis the “pioneer of SA as Sauvignon territory” in the Platter guides at the time. Decades on, the Neil Ellis Groenekloof Sauvignon Blanc is still leading the way, as one of only four Sauvignon Blancs to receive 5 stars in the 2016 Platter’s wine guide.

NEIL ELLIS GROENEKLOOF SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015

Tasting notes: “Lipsmacking and almost sumptuous”, says the 2016 Platter’s guide, with predominant flavours of citrus and tropical fruit, and flinty and herbaceous overtones. An elegant wine with a long flavoursome finish.

Serving Suggestion: A refreshing aperitif but also enjoy with fresh oysters, asparagus, artichokes, sushi, smoked salmon, prawns, calamari, grilled fish, chicken or pork with lemon.

Suggested retail price: R75 to R85