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The Berrio Sauvignon Blanc 2022 wins the Trophy for best Sauvignon Blanc in South Africa at the Fine Wine Awards 2024
Bruce Jack started The Berrio project 20 years ago with Francis Pratt, a celebrated grape farmer in Elim near the southern tip of Africa.
This was pioneering viticulture in an untested area, but Bruce believed in the potential of the unique soil. 330 million years ago Antarctica crashed into southern Africa when Gondwana was formed. When the continents split, Antarctica left a slither of its mineral-rich soil along our southern coastline. This explains the extraordinary concentration of magnetite and other minerals in the soil, and is the reason for the Portuguese name Agulhas, meaning ‘nest of needles’ because, due to the magnetite, old ship’s compases couldn’t find north when rounding the point. This unique soil, combined with constant cold wind off the ocean, produces intensely concentrated grapes which are transformed, with careful winemaking, into South Africa’s best Sauvignon Blanc wines.
From the start The Berrio Sauvignon Blanc consistently won double gold medals and trophies as well as a cult status amongst knowledgeable wine collectors. In 2021 The thirteen year old Berrio Sauvignon Blanc 2007 was the highest rated Sauvignon Blanc and Trophy winner at The Trophy Wine Show, recognised as South Africa’s most demanding show. This Accolade proved how remarkably well these wines can age. One could argue that no other wine region in the world can produce such age-worthy Sauvignon Blanc wines.
In 2008 Bruce was forced to give up his shareholding in The Berrio while he concentrated on running SA’s largest export brand and later as Group Winemaker for Accolade, then the 4th biggest wine business globally. In 2018 he resigned from Accolade to branch out on his own again. Part of the plan was always The Berrio, which he bought from Francis in 2020.
He simultaneously invested in The Black Oystercatcher winery, right next to the vineyards, where the wine is made.
The 2022 is the second vintage of The Berrio Sauvignon Blanc since Bruce took over the winemaking once more. Keep an eye out for The Weather Girl which is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.
