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Deep Rooted Wines

2022

‘Centre of the Universe’

Fumé Blanc   |   Cape South Coast - South Africa
Shelf Talker Spec Sheet Wine Label Bottle Image

About

This wine is the story of how Mark came to find his place in Walker Bay. After seven years of challenging exploration, working and immersing himself in many great wine regions around the world, he came home to discover the incredible cool-climate vineyards of the Cape South Coast. The wildness of this place, from its abundance of fynbos to the roaring wind and sea, creates a desolate landscape that is difficult to cultivate and requires a close relationship with nature in order to thrive. As he settled into his new home, he came to discover the true magic of this place: the people, the coastal culture and the person he was becoming brought me to the realization that after all these years of traveling, he had come home. To the place he want to be and to himself. The Centre of the Universe.

The grape harvest took place at three Cape South Coast vineyards, located in the Stanford Foothills and Klein River Lagoon. All of the grapes were oxidatively pressed and left to cold settle overnight. One third of the lot was crushed and saw 12 hours of skin contact, while the remaining grapes were whole-bunch pressed off the skins. The lots fermented spontaneously in separate, old 400, 500, and 600 L barrels. The lots remained in their fermentation vessels for 10 months of aging, with nothing done to hinder malolactic fermentation. After aging, the wines were blended in tank and were left to mellow for a month before being bottled and bottled without filtering or the addition of sulfur.

Stats

  • Grapes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
  • Vineyard: Oysterhill & Bluegum (Stanford Foothills) - Maanschijn (Klein River Lagoon)
  • Vine Age: Average: 15-years-old
  • Soil Type: Limestone (Oysterhill) - White quartz (Bluegum) - Koffieklip (Maanschijn)
  • Viticulture: Practicing organic
  • Fermentation: Native yeast - old 400, 500, and 600L barrels (2/3 whole bunch pressed, 1/3 crushed)
  • Skin Contact: 12 hours (1/3 of the lot)
  • Aging: 10 months on gross lees in old 400, 500, and 600 L barrels then 1 month blended in tank
  • Alcohol: 12.8%
  • pH: 3.24
  • Total Acidity: 6.2 g/L
  • Total SO2: None added
  • Total Production: 133 cases
  • UPC: None

Tasting Notes

On the nose, there are scents of lime, white peach, and blackcurrant. These flavors linger on the lightly-framed, zingy palate, which shows off the more elegant, understated side of Sauvignon Blanc. (Translation: this is nothing like New Zealand Savvy B.) It is very savory thanks to lees aging, and the perceptible dry finish is well balanced and bright.

Press & Reviews

Tim Atkin, MW

93

"Three different coastal sites supply the grapes for this stylish, flinty, deliberately reductive style of Sauvignon Blanc from the creative Mark Stephens. Complex and savoury, it has notes of oyster shell and struck match, a dab of oak and a pithy citrus and elderflower palate. 2023-27"

- Tim Atkin, MW

The WineMag

93

"Grapes from Klein River Lagoon (Maanschijn), Stanford and Sondagskloof. Spontanteously fermented and matured for 10 months in old 500-litre barrels. No added sulphur. Kiwi fruit, green melon, a hint of blackcurrant and a herbal undertone on the nose while the palate is rich and broad with layers of flavour, coated acidity and a gently savoury finish. Alc: 12.9%."

- Christian Eedes

Platter's Guide

92

"Spontaneously fermented sauvignon blanc, on lees in older oak 11 months. 2022 as restrained but more refined than last, with succulent acid & an effortless glide to a persistent, dry, faintly tannic finish. Cape South Coast WO."

- Cathy van Zyl
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Producer


Deep Rooted Wines

Region


Cape South Coast

Country


South Africa

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