Van Loveren Papillon Brut

Van Loveren Papillon Brut, Sparkling wine from Robertson South Africa. 20% Sauvignon blanc, 80% Colombar. A sparkling wine made by the Charmat method or Cuve close. A sparkling wine, nice bubbles, fine nose. Notes of peach and grass. Fresh and fruity dry finish.

Sauvignon Blanc also called fumé blanc, is the most important white grape of Bordeaux. Fresh, fruity wines are made along the Loire. In Sauternes, the grape is blended with the sémillon. Sauvignon blanc spread to the rest of the world through migrants in the 18th century. In wine regions with a temperate climate, the grape feels at its best. The sauvignon blanc, locally called surin, is one of the oldest grape varieties planted in France. Sauvignon Blanc has a characteristic perfume of flowers and gooseberries, is spicy but can be both tart (around the upper reaches of the Loire) and plump and round. The wines usually have a high acidity Colombard, rich-bearing white grape variety of reasonable quality. The grape is a cross between gouais and chenin blanc, originating from the Charente region north of Bordeaux.

In the past, the Colombard (along with Ugni Blanc and Folle Blanche) was considered the distillation grape par excellence. The Colombard is the fruitiest of the three and contributes relatively less to the distillate because there is a strong preference for neutral base wines. Wines from the Colombard are never top-level wines. The youthful freshness is their only, albeit meritorious, positive characteristic. In California, the grape is called French Colombard and in South Africa Colombar.