An unwooded white blend with a complex nose and subtle layers of flavours.
Vineyards: Old Chenin Blanc vineyards are planted in well weathered granite derived soils on South facing slopes. They add complexity and structure to the younger and intensely aromatic Viognier and Chardonnay blocks, which are planted in more alluvial soils lower in the valley.
The older vineyards have achieved a superior balance over the years and rigorous green harvesting and suckering is implemented in the younger vineyards. This ensures a low crop level of 6-8tons per hectare. All the fruit is picked according to taste at an optimum ripeness, ranging from 21-24ºB.
Winemaking: Grapes are picked only in the cool, early hours of the morning and are then packed into a cold room to be chilled down further. Processing is done the following day.
The grapes are destemmed directly into the press, thereby eliminating pumping of the mash and preventing the extraction of undesirable phenolics or astringency. By not crushing the berries the wines retain superior natural acidity and pH. A low pH is an essential factor in the age ability of a wine. All free run juice and press juice are kept separate from each other and treated differently according to their individual character.
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