THE unique traits of granddaughters have helped Gyles Webb to name the new reserve range of Sutherland icon wines – Anna… Emily… Lisa… Sarah: The patient, the feisty, the curious, and the playful – are the four new iconic reserve wines from Webb’s cool-climate Sutherland Vineyards in Elgin, named after his four granddaughters, with the wines a reflection of the unique character traits of each grandchild.
After establishing Thelema Mountain Vineyards as an iconic Stellenbosch winery in 1983, Gyles began developing Sutherland Vineyards in 2002 as an exciting new venture in the exceptional cool-climate Elgin vine-growing area in the mountain ranges of the Overberg. The first Sutherland wines were released in 2005 and have built a formidable reputation for terroir-driven quality, complementing the esteemed range from Webb’s Thelema winery.
Set on a high plateau surrounded by four mountain ranges, Sutherland Vineyards are just 9km off the Atlantic Ocean, with altitudes of 140 to 250 metres above sea level, with ideal cool climate conditions and soils ranging from Tukulu to Glenrosa. Webb says the four wines are made from grape varieties that have proven to have adapted to the unique Elgin terroir, allowing for wines to have so much individual personality they were crying out for persons to be associated with.
“I just could not think of better people to attach to these wines than my four granddaughters,” says Webb, “four very different, lovable characters with their own personalities capable of giving a voice and identity to these individual wines.”
- Anna Chardonnay 2017
Crafted from the finest lots, the Anna Chardonnay – an elegant, pure and nuanced wine – is named after Anna Vivienne Hilton (“the patient one”) – and Webb’s first granddaughter. The Anna Chardonnay ushers in the third generation of the Webb family and is a reason to explore the family legacy with something exceptional. Recent scoring includes 94 by the Tim Atkin South Africa Special Report of 2022.
- Emily Petit Verdot 2020
This wine is named after Emily Edna Hilton (“the feisty one”) – Webb’s second granddaughter- strong, untamed, and spirited. It is a perfumed and ink-black wine with fine, dry tannins and hints of cedar and violets – a perfect partner for herb-crusted lamb kebabs and lamb dishes. Platter’s Wine Guide 2023 scored the Emily wine 94 points.
- Sarah Red 2017
Quietly confident and complex with the promise of blossoming over time, this wine is named after Sarah Rose Webb (“the curious one”) with the 2017 vintage made from Cabernet Sauvignon. The Platter’s Wine Guide 2023 and the Tim Atkin South Africa Special Report 2022 scored it 93 points.
- Lisa Grenache 2017
Graceful but also vibrant and jovial, this “playful” wine is named after Lisa Rose Webb (“the playful one”), which was scored 92 points by Tim Atkin South Africa Special Report 2022 and Platter’s Wine Guide 2023.
Webb says all four wines will, like their namesakes, evolve into graceful maturity. “Although already charming and lovable, these wines will – like the girls – mature into complex, wonderful adults and unforgettable features of our family,” he says.
For more information, contact Diaan van Zyl at [email protected] / 082 710 1917 / +27 21 885 1924.
