South Africa, Bot River
Chenin BlancDescription
Consistently elegant style of barrel fermented and matured Chenin Blanc. Bright in colour. Floral Citrus, spicy aromas. Oak showing slightly but just as part of the complexity of the wine. Palate is fresh and medium bodied. Texture and weight give it length and a hint of tannins and acidity keeps it citrusy and fresh.
Awards
5 stars Platter's South African Wine Guide
95 pts Tim Atkin
Certificates
Alcohol
13.0%
Analytical data
dry
Vinification
Grapes are hand harvested into small crates. Pressed to tank for natural settling. Fermented using natural yeasts in barrel. Malo sometimes goes through. Fermentation is slow and steady. Wine is left on its gross lees for maturation with occasional battonage. Racked out of Barrel in early Jan of the next year and bottled early in Feb. Released when ready.
Vineyard: Blend of Hope Single vineyard and GG's Single Vineyard
Vinenyards were planted in 1974 and 1978 on Bokkeveld shale soils. Low trellis vines to compensate for the wind in the summer. West facing slope with 3300 vines per ha. Yields average 4.5 tons per ha. Wind is a major climatic factor in our region that is caused by our proximity to the ocean( 12km away). This limits growth and dries out the soils resulting in fresh but concentrated fruit.
Soil Type
Bokkeveld Shale - Gravel top soils and clay or rock base. Some of the oldest soils in South Africa.
Viticulture
Low trellis open canopy vines protect the bunches from excessive sun especially when the wind blows. Drip irrigated on one of the vineyards as a supplementary measure while the other is dry land farmed
Maturation
Matured for 11 months in french oak barrels on gross lees. 15% new barrels. Racked out just before the next harvest to get ready for bottling.