Steenberg Magna Carta 2021, the much-anticipated new vintage of Steenberg Vineyards' ultimate declaration of quality, is the overall category winner for White Cape Bordeaux Blends in the 2024 Platter’s South African Wine Guide.
Produced only in exceptional vintages and eagerly awaited by discerning aficionados in the know, Magna Carta 2021 is the first release of Steenberg’s icon blend since the 2017 vintage.
A benchmark wine of immense standing, this iconic blend of Sauvignon Blanc (70%) and Semillon (30%) strongly reflects the exceptional Constantia terroir and cool, long growing season by showing absolute fruit purity and clean minerality.
“Our entire team is immensely proud of this prestigious accolade from South Africa’s definitive wine guide, which serves as affirmation of the quality of the terroir and fruit we believe we have here at Steenberg,” says Cellarmaster Elunda Basson of this signature masterpiece.
“2021 was a remarkable white wine vintage at Steenberg and our Magna Carta is testament to that. Meticulous attention to detail in the vineyards and cellar has resulted in a wine of opulence, class and finesse with a delicate complexity and elegant length. Magna Carta represents our unwavering dedication to sublime quality,’ she adds.
The wine shows concentrated flavours of elderberry, jasmine and star-anise. Its elegant structure is enriched by layers of ground spice and an abundance of fruit tempered by zesty acidity that forms the backbone of the wine.
Magna Carta owes its lifting freshness to the Sauvignon Blanc component harvested from older Steenberg vines in the early morning. The Semillon, picked at full ripeness, delivers the beautifully textured mouthfeel and weight in perfect harmony. After blending, the wine was left in French oak barrels of varying ages for eight months to develop its superbly balanced character.
Nuanced and ever-evolving, the 2021 vintage shows well now, but will gain further complexity with careful cellaring. Freshness and fullness make the wine a veritable food wine. Elunda recommends pairing it with lobster, duck, scallops, mussel soup or salmon tartare.
The Steenberg Magna Carta 2021 comes in a sophisticated gift pack and is available in limited quantities at R850 per bottle. Click HERE to purchase.