The multi-talented Adam Mason is making quite the name for himself as one of the most highly regarded and respected consulting winemakers in the South African winelands at the moment. His current winemaking projects include Vriesenhof Estate in Stellenbosch and of course Terre Paisible in Franschhoek. The old Vigne d’Or farm has now been rebranded Terre Paisible with massive international investment going into the property to build a state-of-the-art Wellbeing Heath Spa / Clinic surrounded by a premium wine estate.

While grapes are currently being bought in from Stellenbosch to produce their red and Rosé wines, Adam has free run with two Sauvignon Blanc vineyards, one younger and one Old Vine Certified – one of only a handful of Sauvignon Blanc vineyards in the Cape with this distinction. The results from this old 1987 vineyard are indeed very impressive. I first tasted a tank sample of the 2022 vintage with Adam at Cape Wine in October 2022 and then the finish bottling in March 2023. Certainly no doubting the quality and uniqueness of this vineyard site and resultant wine.

I caught up with Adam again in Franschhoek in March 2024 and had a sneak peak at all the new Terre Paisible releases that are currently enroute to market. But with Adam over in London again in May, I took the opportunity to retaste the full Terre Paisible range of wines and once again, the Les Dames de ’87 Old Vine Sauvignon Blanc 2023 was another knockout expression of Sauvignon Blanc. For a grape that divides so many wine drinkers’ opinions, the Terre Paisible flagship cuvee certainly does not have to try very hard to make friends! Whether you are a New World or an Old World Sauvignon Blanc lover, you can’t help but be seduced by this impressive wine.

Terre Paisilble Les Dames de ‘87 Old Vine Sauvignon Blanc 2023, WO Franschhoek, 13% Abv.

An attractively bright, pale golden bronzy yellow, the vibrancy on the nose is delectably enticing, packed full of pithy white citrus, yellow grapefruit peel, salty brine, spicy lemon grass essences, and a dusty crushed granite minerality. This beautifully pure and precise 2023 Sauvignon Blanc has an even stronger terroir footprint than the highly rated 2022 vintage as winemaker Adam Mason continues to familiarise himself with this special site’s terroir characteristics, and as such, the 2023 boasts a more classical crystalline varietal typicity and less struck flint and smoky reductive nuances. Superbly balanced on the palate, there is a mouth-watering old vine intensity and concentration of white and yellow citrus, gooseberry, quince jelly and spicy dried herbs. This is a wine with great presence and impressive complexity that will appeal to lovers of top French Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé from the Loire Valley. Drink on release and over the next 6 to 8+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Terre Paisilble wines are imported into the UK by specialist merchant Museum Wines and is available retail for circa £36 per bottle.