In The Cellar
The grapes were pressed and allowed to settle naturally and racked slightly "dirty" to barrel for fermentation. Mainly older, neutral French oak was used (about 5% new). Malo-lactic fermentation was not encouraged, but a few of the barrels inevitably go through naturally. The partial malo and lees stirring helps to balance the higher acidity and gives the wine some added palate weight.
In The Vineyard
This is an old vineyard located on one of the highest slopes on our farm. The soils are a moderately textured decomposed granite. It is an excellent site that gives a nice balance of flavour. This is from one of the older blocks on our farm. This vineyard produces concentrated fruit from excellent natural acidity and good ageing potential and we have tried to apply traditional winemaking practices to bring out the best in the wine.
All estate fruit, high elevation, their oldest vineyard. Because of its age, Lüdger Van Wyk tells me, it's a very open and sprawling vineyard, 'not big canopies and a lot of natural acidity'. He has never picked higher than 3.2 pH, TA 8 g/l. Organic viticulture. Spontaneous fermentation. 100% barrel fermented, 2% new oak, the rest goes from second fill all the way to 12-year-old barrels. Fully certified organic across the board. Sulphite additions are low and only bentonite fining.
Mouth-filling fruit. This is so juicy. Tropical, ripe but the ripeness comes with a wonderful sharp-lined parallel of northern-fruit apricot acidity, fan-like electric green acidity and so much vitality. It's as if the white citrus of the wine has been set on cold-white fire. Green mango tango dances with cobnuts, teasing a quirky crack of toast and toasted pumpkin seeds and nigella seeds. The oak on this wine has been so cleverly played, layering into the bold fracas of Sauvignon fruit with soothing, rhythmic strides. Superior, interesting, classy. - Tamlyn Currin.
