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The fourth vintage to be released under the
entirely new category "Wine from naturally dried grapes",
recently formed by the Wine and Spirit Board specifically
to accommodate this wine and others to follow.
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
Another ideal vintage for this style of wine. The warm, dry
conditions produced a small crop of excellent quality. These
conditions continued during the drying process producing very
sweet, concentrated grapes.
Harvest date: 7 / 2 / 00 - 29 / 2 / 00 @ 22 - 23.5° balling
PRODUCTION
The grapes were picked at optimum ripeness and laid out on
drying racks in 80% shade for 3 weeks. This allows the grapes
to concentrate sugars, acids and flavours, before reharvesting
in the cool mornings.
Matured for one year using mostly new oak barrels - 50% French
and 50% American. This vintage includes an experimental batch
of 15% Chardonnay and 15% 1999 Chenin. Racked while in barrel
to remove heavy sediment and lightly bentonite fined before
bottling unfiltered. Bottling date : 15 / 6 / 01
TASTING NOTES
Attractive deep yellow colour. Intense honey, apricot, nuts
and citrus nose.
The palate is sweet and concentrated with just enough acidity
and oak tannins to compliment and deliver a long, lingering
finish.
This wine is a dessert all on its own - a real treat after
the meal. Delicious with biscotti and various nuts. Compliments
slightly tart fruit desserts and good pate's beautifully.
ANALYSIS
Alc.12.32 Sug. 235.3 TA 7.4 pH
3.80 VA 2.07 SO2 25/187
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