Ataraxia Sauvignon Blanc 2022

75cl bottle.

I have travelled quite a few miles over the years to see Kevin (mostly to London) and he is always ready with a smile and a funky shirt. His wines are without doubt one of the highlights about working in the wine industry. Visiting the Ataraxia Estate is up also up there with the greatest of my wine experiences. The wines are Modern and the whites are excellent. This 2022 Sauvignon Blanc is his best yet. Tasted in Summer 2024, it was a special highlight among hundreds of wines on show. Salinity and minerality ahead of pure, pungent fruit, it is a wine of substantial poise, length, and charm.

Located in the Hemel-en-Aarde on petrified sand dunes, Ataraxia was founded in 2004 by husband and wife team Kevin and Hanli Grant. A former Zoologist, Kevin spent years getting to know the intricacies of Hemel-en-Aarde`s terroir as head winemaker of Hamilton Russel. Ataraxia is a deeply personal project for Kevin. along with some dear friends, he purchased 50 hectares of prime vineyard land in an exceptional landscape, known as `The Skyfields`. Nestled on this commanding rise beneath the soaring Babylons Toren mountain range, the vineyards are planted on some of the most spectacular terroir South Africa has to offer.

Kevin’s approach to winemaking is minimalist and non-interventionist, geared to reflect a sense of place and expression of terroir. There are fourteen soil types on Ataraxia derived from the deposits of Table Mountain Sandstone, Cape Granite and Bokkeveld Shale. Collectively, these deposits make up the geology of the Hemel-en-Aarde area and can be traced back more than 1000 million years. This means they are cultivating some of the most ancient soils on Earth.

After nearly two decades nurturing this special place, Kevin continues to make wines of incredible finesse, balance and depth with great international acclaim.