Wine Description & Food Pairing:

This crisp, expressive, medium-bodied wine is a perfect every day wine.  It tastes of fresh pears and apples and has a hit of pineapple to it as well.  Perfectly balanced acidity and minerality as well as a plush creaminess.  This wine is quite versatile and will pair well with chicken, shellfish, and creamy pasta dishes.  Serve well chilled.

 

Vineyards:

The grapes are grown in the Agter-Paarl region of South Africa.  The vineyards are all unirrigated and the grapes are untrellised and grow more as a bush.  About half of the vines are over 25 years old.  The soil is composed of Malmesbury Shale which imparts an elegant minerality and fresh acidity to the wines.

Winemaking Techniques:

The Grapes were hand-harvested between 72-74 degrees Fahrenheit.  Only the “free-run” juice was used for the this wine meaning the there was no pressing of the skins.  The wine was fermented for 20 days in stainless steel tanks at 55 degrees Fahrenheit.  The wine was left on its gross lees for 3 months until bottling for a richer mouthfeel as well as longevity.  100% unoaked to preserve the freshness of the fruit.

 

Vintage Notes:

Favorable winter conditions in 2013 set the stage for a promising 2014 growing season.  Early summer rains were welcomed and provided sufficient moisture in the soil to nurture the vines throughout the warmer stages of harvest.  The overall quality of the grapes was very high with good natural acidities and rich flavors.

 

Technical Details:

BLEND: 100% Chenin Blanc, 100% free-run juice  GRAPE SOURCE: 100% from dry-land, bush vines in Agter Paarl, South Africa

CLOSURE:  Screwcap 

ALC: 13.5%  RS: 4.8  TA: 6.1  pH: 3.38