MEDIA RELEASE

DIVERSITY OF CAPE SAUVIGNON BLANC

The Cape is heading for one of the driest vintages ever according to DGB viticulturalist
Stephan Joubert. But his presentation at the Sauvignon Blanc Interest Group of South Africas
(SBIG) tech seminar, sponsored by FNB, revealed the Capes diversity as a real strength.
Stephan urged growers to draw on the experience of 2001 which was similarly dry. On a
Darling farm, for example, only two years have been drier 1896 and 1958 (at time of
writing). Most areas, including Stellenbosch, are only at around 60% of long term averages.
While those with irrigation arent nearly as affected, Stephan suggested dry land growers
should keep canopies small with younger side shoots intact as vine re-growth was unlikely.
Stephan is anticipating ripeness at lower sugar levels yet with less green flavours. He argued
that growers should pick earlier, certainly before the inevitable heat wave and avoid skin
contact as thicker skins would be higher in phenols. Stephan also recommended no or little
leaf removal in dry land areas compared to other years.

Meanwhile those with irrigation in cooler areas can anticipate a closer to normal year although
they would need to irrigate sooner and more often as the subsoil was very dry. Here Stephan
is also expecting growth to stop earlier.

Joubert believes that Sauvignon Blanc, with its diversity of styles and sites providing
numerous expressions, is the preeminent variety for understanding the effect of terroir on
wine style and should be researched by SBIG in conjunction with Winetech and IGWS
(Institute for Grape and Wine Sciences). Stephan says Sauvignon Blanc is the best indicator
variety for terroir research in South Africa and the research could become a world benchmark.

Feedback on the results of the FNB Top 10 competition reveal how many regions are getting
to grips with the variety and the diversity of styles the Cape is capable of producing. SBIG
compiled a fascinating spreadsheet comprising detailed analysis of the top 10 including
viticultural conditions and winemaking techniques and resulting analysis including
concentrations of aromatic compounds.

All of the top 10 had elevated concentrations of some of the typical compounds associated
with the variety while a few, like Kleine Zalzes, has raised concentrations of just about all the
key indicators making it a real standout on the spreadsheet. In this instance the grapes were
sourced from 3 different regions. The few from dry land vineyards were higher in particular
pyrazines (IBMP) supporting research that indicated higher levels of the pre-coursers to these
aromatics in juice from moderately stressed vineyards as their production was linked to the
vines detoxification system.

The Top 10 were from a many regions including warmer Swartland and Breedekloof to cooler
Cederberg, Tygerberg/Durbanville, Darling, Elgin, Elim, Stellenbosch and included multiregional blends like Mooiplaas and Kleine Zalze. Popular yeasts include Anchors Vin 7 and
13 and CKS102 from Bio Springer while popular clones include SB11 and SB316 (reflecting
recent sales at Vititec with the exception of SB242). Most of the Top 10 had extended lease
contact.
Stellenbosch Universitys Dr Carien Coetzee presented on the sensory evaluation of the Top
10 by 32 winemakers following the competition results. The findings were presented as world
clouds where the more frequent a word was used as a descriptor by members of the panel,
the larger it appeared within the word cloud. The word clouds revealed a fair correlation
between the analysis of the relative concentrations of the compounds and the relative size of
the words commonly used by the trade to describe them.

Her presentation also included PCA plots (Principal Component Analysis) of the aromatic and
flavour compounds descriptors of the Top 10 wines with their respective dominant aromatics
clustered around the relevant wine revealing a more or less linear correlation. The PCA biplot
of the aromatic compounds revealed that all of the wines contained concentrations of
compounds that were some distance from the intersection of the axes.

Carien reminded attendees of the complex interplay between aromatic compounds where
compounds could mutually suppress each other while the varying concentration of one or
some could amplify the aromatics of one or others.

Valeria Panzeri from IGWS presented on the nascent field of Sensory Science and its
importance to the future of a competitive wine industry. Citing growing collaboration between
industry and academia, including, for example, research for the Chenin Blanc and Pinotage
Associations and the development by SUs department of Food Science of a flavour wheel for
the rooibos and honey bush tea industries, Valeria stated that industries can have greater
influence over consumers when they are more knowledgeable.

Valeria revealed, for example, that consumers can show greater preference for a style once
they are informed of it but that too much information can be confusing, emphasising the need
to keep things relatively simple. Valeria is one of the co-authors of Marketing wines to
Millennials: the effect of expert opinions on the perceived quality of Pinotage wines (in draft,
focus on younger Millennials) and she revealed contrary to reports of Millennials increasingly
relying on peer rather than expert opinions, expert opinions positively influenced the hedonic
liking of Pinotage when the expert opinion was very positive (where the wine was not
preferred tasted blind).

In general she said, female Millennials rated the liking of Pinotage significantly lower than
male Millennials in blind tastings. However, while male Millennials do not seem to be
influenced by expert opinions or packaging, female Millennials were highly influenced by both.
When the information provided was positive, female Millennials significantly increased their
hedonic liking score for the wine. She reported that Millennials are rapidly becoming the most
important consumer group.
Spars wine consultant Tinus van Niekerk provided glimpses of the retail landscape. With
speculation surrounding a looming clampdown on above the line advertising of alcohol, Tinus
reported a big jump in adspend by Makro, Spar and Pick n Pay with wines adspend
remaining the biggest liquor category (2014/15).

With the other categories saturated, Tinus suggest that wine marketing provides the last
major opportunity within the SA liquor industry for expansion and commercial growth. With the
increasing feminization of the market, another opportunity Tinus mentioned was focusing on
female shoppers. However, he warned that with consumers overwhelmed by the sheer scale
of on-shelf offering, retailers are dramatically reducing their ranges.
The Sensory Science short courses currently offered by SUs Dept. of Viticulture and
Oenology include Aroma Training for Wine Evaluation and TCA Sensitivity Screening. See
http://shortcourses.sun.ac.za/courses/-alpha-a.html

For more information about SBIG membership and events, contact Anka du Toit at 021 863-1599. Stay
connected with SBIG on social media via Facebook: Sauvignon Blanc Interest Group of South Africa,
follow the group on Twitter @SauvignonSA and on Google+ Sauvignon Blanc SA. Find the latest SBIG
news on www.sauvignonblanc.com

ENDS

Issued by

Marlene Truter Communications

tel 083 294 6060
marlene@marlenetruter.co.za

On behalf of

SBIG
Contact Anka du Toit
tel 021 863-1599
admin@sauvignonblanc.com