Paarl Heights Sauvignon Blanc
£9.29
£12.39 per litre · incl. 20% VAT
Only 4 bottles left
Bright, zesty Sauvignon Blanc from the granite foothills of Paarl Mountain, where decomposed rock soils give the wine its mouth-watering stony edge. Think nettle, lemon zest and a flash of green pepper, all wrapped around a crisp, citrussy core. An easy-drinking Cape white that punches well above its price.
Not for sale to persons under 18. Adult signature required on delivery.
UK wide delivery
Expert curated
Our Verdict
We listed Paarl Heights as our everyday Cape Sauvignon Blanc, and it has quietly earned its keep on the shelf. What we love is the granite-driven minerality: most Sauvignon at this price gives you fruit and not much else, but this one has a stony, savoury grip that lifts it into food-wine territory. Pour it for friends who think they only like Marlborough Sauvignon and watch them rethink. If you enjoy this, our other Boutinot Cape whites are well worth a look too.
Tasting Notes
Lift the glass and you get a rush of fresh nettle and lemon zest, that classic Cape Sauvignon snap that wakes up the palate before you've even tasted it. The palate follows through with ripe citrus, a flash of green pepper, and a cool, stony minerality that comes straight from the decomposed granite soils at the foot of Paarl Mountain. It finishes clean and dry, with the kind of zip that makes you reach for the glass again.
About This Wine
Here's a Sauvignon Blanc that proves you don't need to spend a fortune to drink seriously well. Paarl Heights comes from vines planted at the foot of Paarl Mountain, the second-largest granite outcrop on the planet, and you can taste that geology in the glass. Decomposed granite soils lend a stony, mineral thread that runs right through the wine, giving it backbone and a real sense of place. On the nose, expect a lift of fresh nettle and lemon zest, with that classic Sauvignon Blanc green pepper note tucked underneath. The palate follows through with ripe grapefruit and lime, a savoury herbal edge, and a finish that's clean, dry and refreshingly long. Cool harvesting and a slow, gentle fermentation are what keep all that fruit so vivid; nothing is rushed, nothing is lost. This is the bottle to reach for when you want food-friendly white wine without overthinking it. Brilliant with grilled white fish, a plate of sushi, a herby roast chicken, or an asparagus and goat's cheese salad on a warm evening. It's also a smart house white to keep in the fridge for drop-in guests. Made by Boutinot's South African team, who have been crafting expressive, terroir-driven wines in the Cape since the mid-nineties. Delivered chilled and ready across the UK, usually within a couple of days.
Food Pairing
This is a natural match for anything from the sea. Think a plate of dressed crab on sourdough, simply grilled sea bass with lemon, or a Friday-night sushi spread. The herbal note loves green vegetables, so an asparagus and pea salad sings alongside it, and the citrus cut handles roast chicken with tarragon beautifully. Pour it cold on a warm afternoon and you'll struggle to find a friendlier white.
- —Grilled sea bass with lemon and herbs
- —Salmon and avocado sushi with pickled ginger
- —Roast chicken with tarragon and crème fraîche
- —Asparagus, pea and goat's cheese salad
- —Thai green prawn curry
How to Serve
Decanting
No decanting needed. This is a fresh, aromatic Sauvignon Blanc designed to be poured straight from a cold bottle, so any extra air just dulls the lively citrus and nettle aromatics.
Ageing & Cellaring
Built for early drinking. Enjoy now and over the next two years while the citrus aromatics and nettle freshness are at their most vivid. This isn't a wine for the cellar; its charm is in its youthful zip, so don't sit on it too long.
The Land
These Sauvignon Blanc vines are planted on the foothills of Paarl Mountain, where the soils are decomposed granite. That stony, free-draining base is what gives the wine its mineral edge, a flinty thread that runs underneath the citrus and green-fruit aromatics and keeps everything taut.
The Winemaking
Cool early-morning picking locks in the bright aromatics before the Cape sun gets to work. From there, the juice moves into a slow, cool fermentation, the kind of patient approach that lets the green-fruit and citrus character build without losing its edge. The result is a Sauvignon Blanc with concentrated fruit on one side and a stony, mineral backbone on the other, neither shouting over the other.
About the Producer
Boutinot
Paul Boutinot spent years searching the world for a site that could make wine on his terms. He found it on the Schapenberg, a windswept ridge above Somerset West looking out over False Bay and the Atlantic. From day one Waterkloof was farmed organically, with biodynamic conversion following soon after. Cattle, sheep and goats roam the estate producing compost and grazing cover crops, and draught horses do the work tractors usually do, keeping the soil loose and alive. Cellarmaster Nadia Barnard, who joined at the very beginning and now runs the cellar, takes those naturally balanced grapes and gives them as little intervention as possible. It's farming as philosophy, and you can taste it.