Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc 2022

Tim Hamilton Russell founded his undeveloped 170 hectare property in 1975, after an exhaustive search for the most southerly site on which to make South Africa’s top cool climate wines. Eventually, his son would take over in the early 90s and focus exclusively on Burgundian varietals for the estate, but would also develop ‘Ashbourne’ to the North of HR to focus on South Africa’s native Pinotage and Southern Right to the south to focus on Sauvignon Blanc.

These wines are made on a gorgeous 448 hectare property in the cool, maritime, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley appellation, just behind the old fishing village of Hermanus. The wines are named after the rare Southern Right whales, which frequent the cool South Atlantic Walker Bay, only a mile or two from the vineyards.

Together, this collection of wine represents some of the very best the country has to offer. I mean the accolades are truly second to none. World famous Master Somm, John Szabo declared, “Hamilton Russell is the original and still the gold standard for the region. The wines are all class.” Wine Spectator echoed that sentiment arguing, “Today the winery (Hamilton Russell Vineyards) is one of the most recognized brands in the U.S. market, and rightfully so.” They’ve also named their wines in their annual Top 100 more than a half dozen times.

Heck, these wines are so good, that Southern Right became one of the only under $20 wines to grace the Wine Spectator Top 100 list when they announced their 2020 wines of the year. It speaks to their unrivaled quality to price ratio.