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Intellego

2023

‘The Story of Harry’

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

About

The Story of Harry goes something like this: Harry is a real guy on the vineyard crew, as much a part of the terroir as the soil itself. Without vineyard workers, there is no great wine. At the same time, the jobs winemakers provide keep these communities alive. Jurgen brings that team effort to life on the label, his take on the long drives through Swartland, moving from town to township to city to farm. Colorful homes and clothes mark the landscape and show how the community and land thrive together. The fruit all comes off of a single site northeast of the Paardeberg with the Chardonnay at the bottom of the vineyard at lower altitudes and the Chenin further up the slope facing due East. The Chenin was planted in 2002 and the Chardonnay in 1998 and both are bush vine plantings and have been dry-farmed since their inception. Jurgen would never consider making a varietal Chardonnay from the Swartland at the lower-lying altitudes, but the richness blended with the linear Chenin is a truly great harmony of varieties.

The fruit was hand-harvested in the cool mornings of early February. Fermentation was native, with 60% of the blend in used barrels and 40% Chenin Blanc on skins in plastic tank. That portion of Chenin spent seven days on skins before being pressed to French foudres, while the Chardonnay was whole-bunch pressed to old oak barrels to ferment naturally on its gross lees. The wines aged for 11 months in their respective vessels, then were racked once to tank to harmonize and settle before bottling without fining, only a coarse filtration and a touch of sulfur.

Stats

  • Grapes: 75% Chenin Blanc - 25% Chardonnay
  • Vineyard: A single site in the Paardeberg
  • Vine Age: 23-years-old (Chenin Blanc) - 27-years-old (Chardonnay)
  • Soil Type: Decomposed granite atop exposed granitic boulders
  • Viticulture: Practicing Organic - dry-farmed
  • Fermentation: Native - used barrel (60% Chenin Blanc & Chardonnay) & plastic tank (40% Chenin Blanc on skins)
  • Skin Contact: 7 days (40% of Chenin Blanc)
  • Aging: 11 months in old oak barrels (Chardonnay) and French foudres (Chenin Blanc)
  • Alcohol: 12%
  • Residual Sugar: 1.6 g/L
  • pH: 3.45
  • Total Acidity: 5.4 g/L
  • Total SO2: 36 ppm
  • Total Production: 233 cases

Tasting Note

Clean and bright, this wine shows Malmesbury granite in full effect. The nose brings stone fruit, hay, lemon and a hint of reduction. The palate is sharp with peaches and clear acidity, finishing with a rustic grip that relaxes as it opens in the glass.

Press & Reviews

The WineMag

92

"69% Chenin Blanc, 31% Chardonnay – 40% of the Chenin fermented on the skins for seven days. Matured for 11 months, the Chenin in old 500-litre barrels and foudre, the Chardonnay in old 228-litre barrels. Pale orange in colour. The nose is rather neutral but subtle notes of pear, lemon and orange plus some smoky reduction can be detected. Light bodied with bright acidity and a finish that is pithy in texture and salty in flavour. Well balanced."

- Christian Eedes
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Producer


Intellego

Region


Swartland

Country


South Africa

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