| WINE | Black Rock White Blend | ||||||||
| VARIETAL | Chenin (62%) / Chardonnay (19%) / Clairette (17%) / Viognier (2%) |
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| VINTAGE | 2009 | ||||||||
| APPELLATION | Perdeberg-Swartland, South Africa | ||||||||
| ANALYSIS |
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| PRODUCTION | 1100 (12 x 750ml.) cases |
VINEYARDS & HARVEST
Each of the 6 parcels is located on South-Westerly or Westerly decomposed granite slopes of the Perdeberg Mountain. Situated 70 kms as the crow flies directly North of Table Mountain. A hot site, though in close proximity to the cooling maritime breezes and the cold waters of the South Atlantic. All 6 vineyards are dryland bushvines, The Chenin parcels are between 40 - 55 years old, the Chardonnay 14, the Clairette 38 and the Viognier 9. Yields were very low indeed, at an average over the three varieties of about 20 hl / ha.
2009 really was a dream vintage –a cold winter, excellent Spring rainfall, even flowering and then lots of sunshine during the summer. Even better, the evenings were cooler than usual, allowing a longer ripening season than usual, giving wines with more elegance and natural balance. The great advantage of producing fruit from fabulous bush vines for all the fruit in this blend is that we are able to retain excellent minerality -through low PH’s, good natural acidity and alcohols which are relatively restrained and completely in-balance. The old bushvines are accustomed to the heat and the toughness of this rugged environment and with many seasons under their belt, have struck-up a harmonious co-existence. Their root systems are extremely deep, as they have to go looking a long way for water, and plunge up to 12 metres into the granitic subsoils and bedrock below.
VINIFICATION
All grapes hand-picked. into small lug bins at first light and transported to our Winery in a cool truck. The sorting process starts in the vineyard, although every grape passes over the sorting table at our winery. Free-run juice mainly was used, for the four varieties. Pressing (including whole bunch) was carried-out, but at no greater pressure than 0.8 Bar, to ensure the release of only the optimum juice. The Chenin was fermented partially in barrel (under ½), the rest in tank on its lees in a co-fermentation with the Clairette. The Chardonnay was mainly barrel-fermented, the Clairette was co-fermented with one batch of Chenin in tank and the Viognier in barrel All the ferments were natural yeast ferments, with no inoculation of commercial yeasts. Malolactic fermentation was prevented throughout, by keeping the cellar at very cold temperatures. Maturation was carried-out for a total of 13 months, on the lees, with occasional stirring while, maintaining the cellar below 10 degrees throughout.
BARRELS
We selected only French barrels, from Burgundian coopers for this wine, 1/6 of which were new, the rest 2nd, 3rd & 4th fill (and even a couple of 5th fill). We do not want oak to over-power the individual nature of the flavours of this wine nor its link to its site.
WINEMAKER'S COMMENTS
The nose of this wine strikes you immediately with its mineral and fragrant qualities. The palate has no discernable dominant varietal and in fact one of its most attractive facets is its integrated and seamless composition. A lively but weighted mouthfeel, driven through by a beam of mineral acidity which combines naturally with white petals, stone fruit and a bright, lively texture. A blend in the true sense : balanced, harmonious and multi-faceted. One of only a small family of Cape Chenin-based premium blends.