Sakkie Mouton Family Wines Joins the Cape Race to Produce the Top Assyrtiko White Wine in South Africa – Tasting the New Olifantsrivier Assyrtiko 2023…
One of the unexpected results of the global growth in the popularity of the white Assyrtiko grape, has been a growing number of maverick producers in wine regions around the world that have planted this cultivar either as a playful homage to the original expressions of Santorini and mainland Greece, or as an experimental cultivar to study its capacity in mitigating against the effects of global warming and diminishing water supplies available to agriculture. So far in South Africa, three names have led the quality charge, namely Gary Jordan at the Jordan Estate in Stellenbosch, the Mullineuxs at the Roundstone farm in the Swartland, and Eden Sadie in the Paardeberg, though his grapes are sourced from far north up the West Coast. Now, finally there is a fourth pretender to the throne… Sakkie Mouton Family Wines.
The 2023 Olifantsrivier Assyrtiko is part of wunderkind Sakkie Mouton’s exploration into the new and exciting varietals that are available in the West Coast area, which has some of the most extreme growing conditions in South Africa. This wine was also made to showcase how new and more drought tolerant cultivars can withstand the tough conditions of the West Coast with its diminishing water supplies. The grapes for this 2023 Assyrtiko were picked early in the morning to help preserve freshness, and then cooled down before being crushed the following morning. After stems were removed, the grapes were taken to an old basket press where they were slowly and gently foot trodden so as not to extract too much astringency from the Assyrtiko’s skin phenolics.
The juice was then taken straight to an old 228-litre barrel where natural fermentation started after two days. Fermentation lasted for about three weeks with a cooling jacket fixed to the barrel to keep temperatures at a steady 18C. The wine was aged for 8 months on its gross lees before being bottled unfiltered and unfined with no malolactic fermentation occurring.
Sakkie Mouton Family Wines Olifantsrivier Assyrtiko 2023, WO Olifantsrivier, 12.61% Abv.
3.3g/l RS | 7.5g/l TA | 3.17pH
The vineyards for this exceptional young white wine were only planted in 2021 on silty soils 25 kilometres from the Atlantic ocean. But this second crop has yielded a small quantity of white wine that is quite miraculous in its quality, character and intensity for such young vines. The aromatics are wonderfully true to form for Assyrtiko typicity with layer upon layer of stony, dusty minerality together with delicate hints of white flowers, lime blossom, and fresh kelp on the seashore, before notes of dried herbs, pear and oyster shell. The seductive maritime theme continues on the palate which is deliciously tart, bright and electric displaying notes of white peach, green apple, tart lime peel, and an incredibly potent coastal salinity. For years critics have hypothesized what Assyrtiko would taste like if planted up the barren Wes Kus which yields whites and reds with such a notable salinity, minerality and accompanying umami characteristics. Well, with this new release, now we all know! Such stony intensity, freshness and salinity really does baffle the senses and makes the mind wonder what quality heights might be possible when the vines are older. For now, we can only enjoy the vibrancy and brightness of what is an exceptionally well managed ‘halo crop’ from young vine Assyrtiko. Drink it now on release and over the next 2 to 3 years ideally.
(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Note: It is my understanding from Sakkie that a small quantity of the Assyrtiko was used to blend into his 2023 Full On Misfit White Blend and then the remaining wine, circa only 180 bottles, were bottled as a single cultivar wine and commercially only made available to the Asian-fusion Japanese themed fine dining restaurant FYN in Cape Town. As it is tourist season in the Cape, I have already had two people report back on drinking this exceptional Assyrtiko there by the glass, which by all accounts killed it with the tasting menu. If you are in the Cape, do track it down, else keep your patience and hopefully we will see subsequent vintages made available for export in years to come.