Description
CELLAR INFORMATION The grapes were gently whole-bunch pressed and naturally fermented with wild yeast in old French oak barrels. This ensures a terroir-driven expression of flavour. The wine remained untouched for a further 10 months on its gross lees where it becomes naturally stable and flavour complexity reaches a height. Bottled without fining and a very light filtration. Sulphites are kept low but keeping the integrity of the wine in mind with further aging in bottle. VINEYARD INFORMATION The vines used have an average age of about 40 years. These dry-land vineyards were established on the granitic soils of the mountain slopes. Grapes were carefully hand- harvested in the early morning to escape the mid-day scorch. The grape’s flavours are intense and well textured but freshness and acidity is the key to create a well-balanced wine in typical Swartland conditions.
Reviews
Greg Sherwood 96
An impressive 40-year-old vineyard at the top of the Waterval farm with a high altitude west-facing exposure on deep, almost granular sugar textured decomposed granite soils yields meagre quantities of Chenin Blanc fruit. Small, concentrated berries offer up intense aromatics of ripe peaches, honey on white toast, delicate leesy notes of lemon biscuits, almond skins, chamomile tea, fynbos and bees wax. The extra skin contact adds a little more colour but far more significantly, a deeper, broader, textural palate appeal with an unmistakable character of yellow orchard fruits, waxy incense and lanolin, a mealy texture and a saline minerality akin to lightly salted oatmeal porridge. The wine continues to evolve in the glass showing attractive phenolics and complex nuances of grated orange peel, bergamot, peach puree, honey and Japanese green tea ice cream with subtle threads of caramelised oak and vanilla pod spice. An incredibly individual wine that often evokes comparisons to aged Loire Chenin Blancs, traditional white Riojas and some of the iconic skin contact whites of the Sud-Tirol and Trentino-Alto Adige in Northeast Italy. For me though, it remains the perfect white accompaniment to a Springtime sushi blowout spread at home. (96/100 Greg Sherwood MW) [Greg Sherwood, 01/01/2023]
JancisRobinson.com 17/20
[Jancis Robinson, 01/01/2023]
