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Thorne & Daughters

2023

‘Rocking Horse’

Cape White Blend   |   Western Cape - South Africa
Shelf Talker Spec Sheet Wine Label Bottle Image

About

Rocking Horse is the cornerstone Thorne & Daughters wine blend and takes its name from a wooden rocking horse that John and Tasha made for their daughters out of old oak barrel staves. It is the perfect example of wholeness and totality in a wine and is composed of a number of carefully selected vineyard sites throughout the Western Cape. The 2023 vintage is almost equal parts Roussanne and Chenin Blanc, followed by 20% Sémillon Blanc, 15% Chardonnay, and 7% Clairette Blanche. Eleven years in the making, Rocking Horse continues to be what wine writer Christian Eedes calls “something of an institution” as one of the best-value Cape White Blend offerings on the market today.

The harvesting challenge in 2023 was the same as it is every year; with grapes coming from far and wide, the key is to harvest all the blocks at the right time and then get them back to the cellar in perfect condition. The grapes were handpicked and fermented separately without inoculation in barrels of various sizes (228L, 300L, 400L, 500L, and 600L). All the ferments were on full solids, and there was no skin contact this year. After nine months the wines were racked to a blending tank to settle where they are bottled with a small addition of sulfur and a crossflow filtration.

Stats

  • Grapes: 30% Roussanne - 28% Chenin Blanc - 20% Chardonnay - 15% Sémillon Blanc - 7% Clairette Blanche
  • Vineyard: Stellenbosch/ Paardeberg (Roussanne) - Paardeberg/Malmesbury (Chenin Blanc) - Ceres Plateau (Chardonnay) - Swartland (Sémillon Blanc) - Worcester (Clairette Blanche)
  • Vine Age: 10-60-years-old
  • Soil Type: Decomposed granite - Iron-rich shale - Alluvial - Sandstone
  • Viticulture: Sustainable
  • Fermentation: Native – neutral French barrels (228-600 L)
  • Aging: 9 months on the lees in neutral French barrels
  • Alcohol: 13.6%
  • pH: 3.29
  • Total Acidity: 5.9 g/L
  • Total SO2: 85 ppm
  • Total Production: 1,667 cases
  • UPC: 0737186496906

Tasting Note

A layered, complex nose unfolds with golden Kiwi, mace, and crisp Apple skin, accented by delicate, elusive florals. The palate is rich and textured, offering honeyed nougat and a deep, rounded warmth. It finishes long and taut with a hint of salinity.

Press & Reviews

The WineMag

98

"30% Roussanne, 28% Chenin Blanc, 20% Chardonnay, 15% Semillon and 7% Clairette Blanc sourced from across the Western Cape. A triumph being both multifaceted but also completely coherent. Flowers, pear, peach, citrus, apple, earth, spice and a hint of leesy complexity on the nose while the palate has it all: depth of fruit, texture, a lovely line of acidity and long, savoury finish. A wine of pin-point accuracy."

- Christian Eedes

Platter's Guide

94

"Accomplished & applauded Cape white blend displays fine crafting. 2023 perfumed, with stonefruit & quince fruit, underlying mineral acidity. Same varieties as 2022 (5 stars, 95 pts), roussanne, chenin & chardonnay (30/28/20), dashes semillon & clairette, bunch pressed & aged in 255L-600L cask. WO W Cape."

- Cathy van Zyl

Tim Atkin, MW

94

"John Seccombe has got the blend down to a fine art here, combining Roussanne, 28% Chenin Blanc, 20% Chardonnay, 15% Semillon and 7% Clairette Blanche to make his "signature wine". Layered and complex, it has subtle aromatic spices, stony intensity, pear, citrus and quince flavours and a waxy mid palate."

- Tim Atkin MW
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Producer


Thorne & Daughters

Region


Western Cape

Country


South Africa

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