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Boschkloof

2023

‘Kottabos’

Skin Fermented Chenin Blanc   |   Stellenbosch - South Africa
Shelf Talker Spec Sheet Wine Label Bottle Image

About

Kottabos is a Greek drinking game of the highest skill – where after many glasses of wine one elegantly flings the leftover lees from naturally unfiltered wine toward predetermined targets in the room with fellow drinking friends. In this case, ‘Kottabos’ is a small side project from Reenen Borman of Boschkloof in which he experiments with more adventurous winemaking techniques on grapes grown in the Polkadraai Hills. In 2020 Reenen wanted to get even a bit more experimental and produced one barrel of skin fermented Chenin from the Karibib Vineyard. The results were positive, and this spicy and textured wine is now in its fourth iteration.

The Chenin was handpicked exclusively from the ‘Karibib Vineyard’ in the Polkadraai Hills and entirely fermented whole-bunch in an open-top stainless steel fermenter. Reenen hand-plunged the clusters throughout the course of each day for five days. He then pressed the juice to a single neutral 500L French puncheon to finish fermentation and mature on the lees. Following 11 months aging, the wine was bottled directly from barrel with just a gentle fining and a light sheet filtration and sulfur addition at bottling.

Stats

  • Grapes: 100% Chenin Blanc
  • Vineyard: Karibib Vineyard
  • Vine Age: 32-years-old
  • Soil Type: Weathered granite
  • Viticulture: Practicing Organic
  • Fermentation: Native – open-top stainless-steel (100% whole-bunch)
  • Skin Contact: 5 days
  • Aging: 11 months in neutral 500L French puncheons
  • Alcohol: 12.9%
  • pH: 3.51
  • Total Acidity: 5.3 g/L
  • Total SO2: 87 ppm
  • Total Production: 215 cases
  • UPC: 6008409000236

Tasting Note

This skin contact Chenin Blanc opens with warm notes of honey, baking spices, and the scent of sun-kissed hay. On the palate, there’s vibrant citrus, chamomile, and a touch of sushi ginger. It’s beautifully balanced with a nice, textured feel, and the finish has a bit of grip that lingers pleasantly.

Press & Reviews

Tim Atkin, MW

93

"Reenen Borman buys in grapes from what he calls "the Stellenbosch hilltops" to make this 40% skin-fermented Chenin Blanc. Curated in older wood, it has layers of honey, pear and patisserie spices, classic granite-derived freshness and a savoury twist on the finish."

- Tim Atkin, MW
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Producer


Boschkloof

Region


Stellenbosch

Country


South Africa

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