THE WHITE SAVAGE SETS NEW RECORD FOR A WHITE WINE AT CWG AUCTION 2008

Published: 30 Sep 2008

The White Savage, the lauded Sauvignon Blanc produced by John Loubser of Steenberg Vineyards, claimed top spot for a white wine at The Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction 2008, fetching a record-breaking maximum price of R3300 per case of 6 bottles, with each of its 30 cases fetching over R3000 (VAT exclusive).

This effectively establishes the status of this premier Constantia Valley wine producer as one of the top white wine producers in South Africa. The highest price for a red wine at the auction went to Marc Kent’s Boekenhoutskloof Syrah Auction Reserve 2005. The Auction, which was held in Cape Town at the CTICC on the 27th of September, was attended by some 250 potential buyers, winemakers and media representatives, with wines provided by 38 top winemakers, considered among South Africa’s best.

This is the second year running that this hand-crafted wine was selected to be sold at the prestigious CWG Auction, and with only 30 x 6 bottles having been made available this year, demand was high, resulting in an average bid of R536 per bottle, comparing favorably with an average of R350 per bottle in 2007. Significantly, The White Savage was, for the second year running, awarded 90 points by wine commentator Robert Parker, a rating that is considered to be a ‘huge honour’. It was also awarded a top rating of 91 points by US wine commentator Stephen Tanzer.

Says General Manager at Steenberg Vineyards, John Loubser: ‘The Nedbank CWG Auction extends an unequivocal benchmark of quality to wine labels that are auctioned here, and we are immensely proud and honoured that The White Savage has been distinguished as the top white wine by leading wine buyers, both local and international. We believe that the record price attained for The White Savage at the CWG Auction 2008 not only underscores Steenberg Vineyard’s status as top white wine producer, but also renders credibility to the price of our recently launched icon white blend, Magna Carta.

Mr Loubser is one of only 38 members of the select group of winemakers that constitute the Cape Winemakers Guild. He says that aptly named, The White Savage (English for Sauvignon Blanc) is the primal expression of a wonderfully wild and herbaceous variety which is best enjoyed untamed. ‘The White Savage is made from our very best Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon vineyard. The grapes were machine harvested at 3 am. The Sauvignon Blanc is treated reductively and undergoes a long, cold fermentation in stainless steel tanks. The Semillon is barrel fermented in new French oak and left on the lees for 4 weeks. After skilful blending, the wines are gently prepared for bottling,’ he elucidated.

Since its inception in 1985, The Nedbank CWG Auction has become a quality benchmark and the CWG label is an authentic assurance of quality recognised by leading wine buyers both locally and abroad. Uniquely, the handful of selected wines produced exclusively by members of the Cape Winemakers Guild are auctioned individually at the CWG Auction and are only available at the Auction. These rare wines are distinctly different from those bottled under the members’ usual labels. All wines on offer are selected at a blind tasting by the members of the CWG. Only those wines showing technical excellence and maturation potential are chosen for the Auction.