| WINE | The Winery of Good Hope | ||||||||
| VARIETAL | Chenin (57%) / Chardonnay (31%) / Clairette (11%) / Viognier (1%) |
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| VINTAGE | 2008 | ||||||||
| APPELLATION | Swartland, South Africa | ||||||||
| ANALYSIS |
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| PRODUCTION | 320 (12 x 750ml.) cases |
VINEYARDS
Each of the 7 parcels is located on South-Westerly or Westerly slopes of the Perdeberg Mountain. Situated 70 kms as the crow flies directly North of Table Mountain. In close proximity to the cooling maritime breezes and the very cold waters of the South Atlantic. The Chenin, the Chardonnay & the Viognier vineyards are all dryland bushvines. The Chenin parcels are between 45 - 50 years old, the Chardonnay 12, the Viognier 6. Yields were very low indeed, at an average over the three varieties of about 20 hl / ha.
2008 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 great balance. Picking occurred in pretty ideal conditions Practically no grapes were discarded at picking and each varietal was in pristine shape. The great advantage of producing fruit from fabulous old bush vines for this blend is that we are able to retain excellent minerality -through low PH’s, good natural acidity and alcohols which are not out of balance. These 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, plunging 12+ metres into the granitic subsoils and bedrock below.
VINIFICATION
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 1/3 in barrel, the rest in tank on its lees. The Chenin was split between tank & barrel fermentation, the Chardonnay was mainly barrel-fermented, the Clairette was fermented 50% in barrel and 50% co-fermented with one batch of Chardonnay in tank and the Viognier split equally. In all cases, lees-stirring was carried-out over 6 months until the wines were assembled and then returned to barrel & tank, with their lees. Malolactic fermentation was prevented. Maturation was carried-out for 12 months, including the assembling and settling of the wines prior to bottling.
Barrels
We selected only French barrels, from Burgundian coopers for this wine, 1/4 of which were new, the rest 2nd, 3rd & 4th fill. We do not want oak to over-power or mask 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, apricots and bright fruitiness. A blend in the true sense : balanced, harmonious and multi-faceted. One of only a small family of Cape Chenin-based premium blends.