There is nothing like chic indulgence in summer. Luxury yacht parties, exclusive rooftop gatherings, and sophisticated garden soirees give the season the VIP treatment it deserves.
International hot-ticket events like Ralph Lauren’s Dubai Harbor Yacht Experience, celebrating the fashion house’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection, London’s Serpentine Gallery Summer Party that annually attracts luminaries from the worlds of art, fashion, music, and film, and Louis Vuitton’s rooftop gala at its Paris headquarters, have become the talk of Europe’s social circuit in recent years.
There are so many aspects to making a VIP experience truly unforgettable: exclusivity, celebrity guestlist, food, choice of DJ or band, striking décor, and uniqueness of the gathering.
Drinks that befit the occasion are high on the agenda; this season, the taste is undeniably premium Sauvignon Blanc.
“Sauvignon Blanc transitions seamlessly from casual al fresco lunches to extravagant rooftop dinners,” explains Carryn Wiltshire, marketing manager of Steenberg Vineyards in Cape Town’s historic Constantia Valley winegrowing region.
“People talk about Cap Classique and red wine as markers of sophistication, but Cap Classique is often considered a welcome drink, and reds can be too heavy for extended summer events. Sauvignon Blanc’s elegance ensures it complements various dishes and settings.”
Matching the right Sauvignon Blanc to an experience requires sourcing wines from producers celebrated for crafting wines with the perfect balance of acidity, minerality, and complexity. Premium Sauvignon Blanc is available at boutique wine stores, select online platforms, and directly from the wine estates.
Sauvignon Blanc should always be chilled to an ideal 10–12°C, with the bottle resting in an ice bucket during outdoor events. To concentrate its aromas and showcase the brilliance of the wine, stylish tulip-shaped glasses are a must.
Sauvignon Blanc is nature’s perfect pairing for appetisers like fresh oysters, citrus-marinated prawns, goat cheese crostini, and mains such as herb-roast chicken, grilled vegetables, and seafood pasta.
The wine is revered for its fresh, vibrant character, much like the showstopper summer events it complements.
Themes and décor are crucial to making these gatherings the talk of the season.
A nautical adventure theme with intense blue and white accents is perfect for yacht parties, where Sauvignon pairs beautifully with fresh oysters and prawns.
The lush greenery of garden parties, where hanging medallions by day and lanterns by night are always a hit, lends itself to summer favourites like smoked salmon tartare, herb-marinated salmon, or goat cheese tartlets.
Steenberg Executive Chef Kerry Kilpin says the bold, herbaceous notes of wine, like Steenberg’s The Black Swan 2023 Sauvignon Blanc, elevate the delicate flavours of these dishes.
This offering proved a sensation at the recent Steenberg Garden Party, a perennial highlight of Gauteng’s spring-summer calendar hosted at Beechwood Gardens in Sandton. Guests sampled the estate’s full range of award-winning wines and were treated to a decadent harvest table laden with delicious cuisine.
Rooftop gatherings, meanwhile, call for minimalist elegance with Tiki torches and soft lighting coupled with decadent appetisers like smoked duck or creamy mushroom pasta. A wine like Steenberg Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc 2023, a textured, creamy experience on the palate featuring subtle oak notes and a fuller body, is ideal.
Steenberg winemaker Elunda Basson describes Sauvignon Blanc as “a wine that connects elegance with energy—simple yet layered, vibrant yet refined”.
The Sauvignon Blanc 2024 in the estate’s Classic range has been included in the blind tasting lineup for prestigious WSET Level 4 qualification as the representative Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa. This global WSET organisation administers courses and exams in wine, spirits, and beer.
Sauvignon Blancs from the Constantia region stands shoulder-to-shoulder with top producers from Bordeaux, Sancerre, and New Zealand, making them a worldly addition to cosmopolitan summer events.
“Steenberg wines are made in the vineyards and cared for in the cellar. For us, it’s about consistency in the quality of our wines,” Wiltshire says.
Like these international regions, Constantia enjoys cool climate conditions, high altitudes, ocean proximity, and strong winds, which are highly conducive to producing excellent quality Sauvignon Blanc. Where it stands out, however, is the quality of its soils and multiple influences in an area of only 437 hectares. The two primary soils of the region have entirely different effects on the wines. Decomposed granite creates a flinty, salty, savoury, almost impact of umami in the wine, while the sandstone adds substance and richness.
Constantia is noted for its steep slopes—an anomaly in South Africa’s Winelands – while there is significant variation within Constantia’s individual growing blocks, with altitudes ranging from 50m to 350m above sea level.
“Sauvignon Blanc, particularly from Constantia, offers refreshment, elegance, and versatility for summer’s exclusive events. Steenberg’s collection, led by The Black Swan Sauvignon Blanc, exemplifies this sophistication, elevating every occasion with its distinctive charm,” Wiltshire says.
Also see: Sun out, toes in: Stylish ways to rock your loafers this warm season
