Wine of the Week 43: Vergelegen Estate White 2023

A Bordeaux-style blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon.

The majestic camphor trees growing in front of the Vergelegen homestead have long been a symbol of the history and heritage of this wine estate, which resonates with a sense of continuity through the centuries. Change has come organically as each successive owner has built on the legacy of the previous one. The same is true in the cellars, where in 2022 winemaker Luke O’Cuinneagain took over the baton from André van Rensburg (who retired after 25 years at the estate).

French pedigree

Prior to joining Vergelegen, Luke was winemaker at the French-inspired Glenelly Estate in Stellenbosch from 2008, where he produced wines celebrated for their power, elegance and balance. Vergelegen wines have always been very structured, and made for longevity in classic Bordeaux style, making the move a natural continuation of his winemaking journey.

Reflecting on his first vintage of the Vergelegen Estate White 2023 he says, “I’ve always been partial to this style, I think it is somewhat underrated in the wine world. I fell in love with these blends in 2004 at Chateau Fieuzal, in the Graves region of Bordeaux. I love the complexity and versatility.”

Tasting terroir

Vergelegen’s flagship Estate range is all about celebrating the terroir through selected vineyard blocks. “It is important for me that the unique expression of the sites come through,” Luke says.

“The sauvignon blanc component comes from Schaapenberg vineyards which have a lot of shale and greywacke. They are ocean-facing and farmed dryland, so you’re getting altitude and stress, for a more acidic pH, which is ideal for long-ageing wines. It tends to have a lot of salinity which comes through with a vibrant character.

“For the semillon we use the oldest blocks on the farm on two sites: one is on the lower slopes of Schaapenberg which gives great tension and acidity. The second vineyard is from the bottom of the farm in alluvial soils with granite, and tends to be much more generous, fuller and richer.”

As his first harvest at Vergelegen, 2023 remains clear in his memory. “It was warm for whites but unique sites managed to hold our excellent natural acidity. And we needed patience in the vineyard for phenolic ripeness.”

A blending journey

The components go into wood for 10 months (from 2500l foudres to 225l barrels) for fermentation to build layers of complexity into the wine before blending.

The blending is a journey in itself. “I had three blends and was partial to one of them, but then decided to call a friend, legend Duncan Savage,” says Luke. “He came through and tasted with me and put together what he thought would be the best blend. It turned out to be 2% different from what I had chosen initially!”

“In an ideal world we are trying to get floral aromatics from sauvignon blanc and semillon but we always want tension and palate weight. The oak shouldn’t dominate, only support; the varietals must be the star of the show. The sauvignon blanc dominates initially and the semillon comes through with ageing, adding textural pull. The wine grows in richness, broadness and texture.”

Vergelegen Estate White Blend 2023

The tasting notes speak of mineral overtones, and a flinty core dominated by notes of lemon, crushed rosemary and fresh apple. “It’s a beautiful blend to pair with food, and on its own,” Luke says.

Scoring 95 points at the Decanter World Wine Awards, this is a wine that can be enjoyed now or aged over the next 10 years. “As it’s still so young I like to drink it by decanting,” says Luke. “After a good six hours it really opens up. And drinking over 24 – 48 hours really changes the wine, I love that about it. This wine buys into my philosophy of taking the drinker on a journey over the time it is consumed. It is constantly changing and developing and offers great interest.”
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