Select another wine

Mother Rock

2021

‘Force Celeste’

Chenin Blanc   |   Swartland - South Africa
Shelf Talker Spec Sheet Wine Label Bottle Image

About

All the grapes come from the Waterval Vineyard, on the Paardeberg, owned by Barry Schreiber and farmed by his daughter Franziska Wickens. This year, due to a huge increase in demand, Stompie outgrew the old vine block of the vineyard and looked toward new, dry-farmed, bush vines on top of the hill overlooking the old-vine Kweperfontein block. The old bush vines were planted in 1983 on decomposed granite and dry farmed since its initial planting with more recent block being planted in 2005. Since 2014, the vines have only received organic sprayings and the undervine work has been done purely by machine/hand and not chemically.

The grapes were hand-harvested starting in mid-January into small lug-boxes, limiting the damage to the grape in larger bins. They were harvested at different sugar levels to insure good pH and acid from the early picking with powerful structure and aromas from riper batches. The majority of the grapes were whole-bunch pressed with full lees to stainless-steel with about one-third of the grapes being destemmed and fermented on their skins for a month, prior to being pressed to stainless-steel.  Fermentation occurred naturally and at cooler temperatures (57°F) without any additions and after seven months of aging the components were blended to tank and settled naturally.  The wines were bottled in September without fining, filtration or a sulfur addition.

Stats

  • Grapes: 100% Chenin Blanc
  • Vineyard: Waterval Vineyard on the Paardeberg Mountain – farmed by Franziska Wickens
  • Vine Age: Two blocks: A 38-year-old bushvine parcel and a 16-year-old bushvine parcel
  • Soil Type: Decomposed granitic sand intermixed with fractured clay
  • Viticulture: Practicing Organic – dry-farmed
  • Fermentation: Native – stainless-steel
  • Skin Contact: 30% - four weeks on skins in stainless-steel
  • Aging: 7 months in stainless-steel
  • Alcohol: 10.5%
  • pH: 3.36
  • Total Acidity: 6.48 g/L
  • Total SO2: 16 ppm
  • Total Production: 1,920 cases
  • UPC: 781718130189

Tasting Note

Semi-orange with a bit of skin contact. Zesty and fresh nose with aromas of apples, pears and rain soaked stones. The palate is silky, gripping texture (from the skin contact) and quite fresh with an herbal edge and pear notes reemerging. The finish is a dichotomy between a mouthful or rocks and slated fresh herbs, a touch of tannin and mouthwatering acidity.

Press & Reviews

Wine Spectator

88

"A bracing white defined by rapierlike acidity, with aromatic accents of citrus zest and medicinal herbs lacing the white raspberry and pink grapefruit pith flavors. Salty finish. Drink now. 1,920 cases made. From South Africa."

- Alison Napjus

Platter's Guide

90

"More elegant than last-tasted 2019 (4 stars, 89 pts), 2021 pared-back ‘natural wine’ with racy salty tang to its apple & pear profile. Hallmark counterpoise of stiletto acid, bone-dry finish & mere 11% alc, vs inherent weight & fruit density of older Swartland vines."

- Cathy van Zyl
Select a wine

Producer


Mother Rock

Region


Swartland

Country


South Africa

Have a question or want to drop a line?

Contact Us