|
( Previous vintage winner of the 2000 Chenin Blanc Wine Challenge
)
VINEYARD BLOCKS
1 block ( Keerweder ) 28 year
old vines on a 3 wire trellis on neighbouring cool high altitude
SW slope. Deep red Hutton soil with good moisture retention.
Unirrigated. Yield 7 tons / hectare.
2 blocks ( Post House ) 14 &
16 year old vines on a 4 wire trellis with moveable foliage
wires. Lower slopes of the Helderberg, 8 km from the cooling
influence of the sea. Gravelly Hutton soil. Yield 5 &
10 tons / hectare. Lightly irrigated to releave drought and
heat stress.
VINTAGE CONDITIONS
The growing season was generally hot and dry with no disease
problems. A little releaving rain fell in January and the
following ripening period was particularly dry and hot. Despite
the heat, we obtained fully ripe grapes at lower sugars than
usual. In fact we harvested some Chenin after Cabernet at
lower sugars. The grapes were picked in the cool mornings
@ 22 - 24 degrees balling.
Harvest date 7 / 2 / 00 - 29 / 2 / 00
PRODUCTION
Grapes lightly crushed and allowed 3 hours skin contact before
gently pressing in a traditional basket press. Sulphur and
dry ice added and natural settling allowed for 2 days before
100 % barrel fermentation with natural
yeasts.
All the wine kept in 225 l casks for 8 months with lees stirred
1 - 2 times a month initially.
30 % new oak used - mostly American from Demptos, Napa. Partial
malolactic fermentation.
Bottled unfiltered on the property by hand with only a light
bentonite fining.
Bottling date : 31 / 10 / 00.
TASTING NOTES
An appealing light yellow colour.
The nose shows attractive spicy, vanilla oak with apricot/citrus
fruit core and an intiguing mineral, hay character.
The palate is very full bodied with a mouthwatering thread
of acidity that carries the complex fruit and oak flavours
to a long aftertaste.
Excellent with rich fish and seafood dishes, subtle red and
white meats or on its own.
ANALYSIS
ALC. 13.75 SUGAR 1.5 TA 5.8
pH 3.40 VA 0.43 SO2 38 & 116
|
