Thelema Sauvignon Blanc

2006 Bright pale gold in color with flashes of lime green. This wine is fresh, crisp and aromatic on the nose, boasting delicious gooseberry, melon and pineapple aromas. It is medium bodied and juicy, packed with fresh ripe melon and guava fruits and hints of bell pepper with a crisp, refreshing finish which is bone dry. Ideal as an aperitif or with fish, or poached salmon with lemon mayo.

Additional Information

In July 1983, the McLean Family Trust bought the old fruit farm Thelema, situated on the top of the Helshoogte Pass about 6 kilometers outside of Stellenbosch. This purchase was the culmination of a long search by Gyles and Barbara Webb for that rare location where exceptional wines could be made, for this is their sole intention. The farm comprises 157 ha of land on the slopes of the Simonsberg. The elevation ranges from 370 to 640 meters above sea level of mainly south-facing slopes, making Thelema one of the highest and probably coolest wine farms in the Stellenbosch area. Gyles Webb directs all farming and winery operations, and the remaining directors are wife Barbara and sister-in-law Jenny de Tolly.

This wine is sourced from established vineyards planted in 1984, 1985 and 1993 on Hutton (decomposed granite) soils at a density of 3200 to 3700 vines per ha. Vineyard practices include vertical hedge trellising and pruning the spurs of the vine. Harvesting took place by hand and the grapes were de-stalked, crushed and pressed before cold settling and racking from the gross lees. A cool fermentation followed and the wine was allowed a period of aging in steel before bottling and release.