South Africa's leading wine writer Michael Fridjhon (organiser of the excellent Trophy Wine Show I reported on last May) has publicly accused some South African winemakers of using artificial non-grape flavour enhancers in their Sauvignon Blancs.
Michael is not a sensationalist and lives surrounded by the Cape wine industry. I find it hard to believe he would make the accusation without some degree of confidence in its truth. 'Some of South Africa's best-known winery supply companies openly offer for sale ranges of fake flavourant to give Cabernet that more concentrated cassis aroma, or Chardonnay that creamy butterscotch taste,' he said...