Hercules Paragon Sauvignon Blanc 2009

 

I'm still on my South Africa hunt for wines that I haven't had before and especially that I have never heard of before. Here we have one of them. It's called Hercules Paragon, and tonight we had the Sauvignon Blanc. It's good if you're into crisp white wines with tastes of Goosberries and tropical fruits. Lots of fruit on the nose and the taste is very fruity indeed with sour and sweet tones thrown into the mix.

We had the wine with Chicken fillet and Risotto with freshly picked Yellowfoot mushrooms. In Swedish the mushrooms are called trattkantarell, but in English they're called Yellowfoot, winter mushroom, or Funnel Chanterelle. Perfect fit for this wine with so many flavours already in the mix.

The name Hercules Paragon is very interesting because it's from the 17th century. When Hercules van Loon was granted a farm by Simon van der Stel his first concern was to establish the best vineyards in the valley. Being a man with flair, determined to be a symbol of excellence, he gained the nickname Hercules Paragon. And so today we have a wine named after him.

Neethlingshof Sauvignon Blanc (2008)

Wine tasting 5

South African white wines remind me of summer, sitting on the grass under the trees and pinics. This wine is no exception. Crisp and full of flavour. One of my favourites. It's not a wine that's made for drinking with heavy meals, but a good salad, a fruit bowl or a light lunch outside in the sun would be perfect. It's flavours are a mix of green peppers (Paparika), grass and asparagus, which sounds weird, but is worth a try.

Panel's rating: 3.27 out of 5




Country: South Africa - Stellenbosch
Grape: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Price: 80 SEK
Colour: Light yellow colour

Nose: Youthful scent, aromatic fragrance with hints of nettle, gooseberry, kiwi, asparagus, and lime.

Taste: Dry, very fresh, aromatic flavour with a hint of nettle, gooseberry, kiwi and green marmalade balls 

Claps Sauvignon Blanc Sequals (2007)

Wine tasting 2

I'm not sure the three and a half stars really give enough credit for this wine. It was really fantastic, and should be if you're looking at spending 80kr for a bottle of white. I do however believe there's better wines on the market for much less. I would however buy this wine again, for a picnic in the park and on warm summers day. I was surprised to learn that this wine comes from Italy, and not somewhere like Australia or South Africa.

Panel's rating: 3,6 out of 5

Price: 80SEK

Country: Italy

Grapes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Colour: A light yellow tone to clear, Very light, A cold greyish yellow, A clear yellow with a hint of gold, Bright and soft yellow with a little hint of turqouise, Light yellow with a little green, Light yellow.

Nose: A lot of citrus and floral mixed, Pears and peaches with some elder flowers, Fresh and fruity with a hint of citrus, Peaches and passion fruits, Tropical fruits with hints of lemons, Sweet citrus mixed with pear marmalade and gooseberries with some tropical fruits.

Taste: Thick on the tongue and hard to destinguish, Crisp, Dry and crisp, Dry and light, Crisp and peachy.