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Intellego

2021

Chenin Blanc

Swartland - South Africa

About

This is the wine that defines Jurgen and Intellego. Starting in 2019 Jurgen has focused this wine on the granitic material of the Paardeberg, hillside, bushvines plantings that really showcase the site and a lower pH than the old vine site in the nothern Swartland that he would use previously. The label shows an illustration of seasons and one can see the one can see the typical Swartland dry summers reflected in this one. (Take a look at the Syrah label for the winter depiction). This wine is all about climate and the effect it has on the vines and how every vintage differs because of the conditions.

The fruit was hand-harvested and whole-bunch pressed with full solids to old 500L French foudres, where it fermented spontaneously. The wine sits sur lie, adding texture but also retaining tension to the final wine, and ages on the gross lees for 11 months. The wine was racked from barrel to tank and bottled without fining or filtration and only a small amount of SO2 added at bottling.

Stats

  • Grapes: 100% Chenin Blanc
  • Vineyard: Single vineyard bush vine site on the Paardeberg
  • Vine Age: 20-years-old
  • Soil Type: Decomposed granite and oakleaf
  • Viticulture: Practicing Organic – dry-farmed
  • Fermentation: Native – neutral 500L French foudres
  • Skin Contact: None
  • Aging: 11 months on the lees in neutral 500L French foudres
  • Alcohol: 13%
  • pH: 3.24
  • Total Acidity: 6 g/L
  • Total SO2: 28 ppm
  • Total Production: 283 cases
  • UPC: None

Tasting Note

The nose is redolent of peach and apple, with hints of earthy hay bale. The palate shows tangy acidity and and excellent stone fruit character. There’s a rounding, mellowing sensation by savory undertones, and the close feels as if someone zipped the whole thing up into a neat, lingering finish.

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