Otter's Claw Sauvignon Blanc 2013

Lothian Vineyards in Elgin, South Africa are committed to making the highest quality, Burgundy-style wines from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but they attach equal care and importance to their day-to-day wines, Otter's Claw Sauvignon Blanc and Horny Owl Shiraz.

We have precious little idea where otters and owls come into it - perhaps they form part of the region's almost psychedelic biodiversity - but we wouldn't blame any otter for wanting to get its claws around this Sauvignon, which is an effusive melange of lime, kiwi fruit and pineapple all coming together over a base of lingering minerality.

Owned by the Wilson family, of Scottish origin, Lothian began as a 10 hectare vineyard in 2004. The winery's chief aim is to make food-friendly wines of subtlety and finesse, with intense, finely-balanced fruit.

While the region's vineyard density is increasing, Elgin was formerly better known for apple growing. Its vineyards benefit from high altitudes and a cooling oceanic influence. Elgin's surrounding area, Kogelberg, is known worldwide for its remarkable biodiversity.

Winemaker Stefan Gerber had grape-farming uncles in the Robertson Valley, and spent much of his school holiday time working in the vineyard. Following post-graduate stints with De Wetshof and Beyers Truter, he spent two seasons in India, working on some of the country's top-selling wines. Returning to South Africa, joining De Morgenzon brought him into contact with Lothian's Pinot Noir, the ensuing love affair writing the rest of his story.

Individual vineyard blocks are picked only at the optimal moment of phenolic ripeness. After gentle pressing and cold settling, the juice is racked and fermented using various yeasts, some selected to emphasise the fruit flavours, others to add texture. Some of the wine was left on its lees after fermentation, to give extra texture to the final blend.

The wine offers a medley of green fruit aromas, with bracing flavours of lime, pineapple and kiwi spliced together by fresh, balancing acidity. Fabulous with lemony fish or rock lobster.