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Mother Rock

2021

‘Kweperfontein’

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

About

All the grapes are grown from one single vineyard on the Paardeberg Mountain, south of Malmesbury. The vineyard is owned by Barry Schreiber and farmed by his daughter Franziska Wickens, whose husband Jasper produces the Swerver Wines from the vineyard. A small handful of other producers, notably John Seccombe, of Thorne & Daughters, source fruit here. The bush vine vineyard was planted in 1984, and has been dry farmed since its planting. As of 2014 the vineyard has been farmed fully organically with no chemicals sprayed on the vines and soil. The soils are a mixture of decomposed granite and clay with south-west facing slope on altitude of 920 feet.

The fruit was handpicked after Stompie’s taste test determined the acidity, structure, and aromas were in the right place. The fruit was whole-bunch basket pressed at a very low pressure direct to 16hL concrete egg. Pre-fermentation oxidation was allowed to add complexity and age-ability. There the fermentation kicked off with the gross lees in perpetual motion throughout the fermentation and then moving throughout the wine during the aging. After 16 months the wine was sent directly to the bottling line without fining, filtration or SO2 additions.

Stats

  • Grapes: 100% Chenin Blanc
  • Vineyard: Waterval Vineyard - Kweperfontein Block
  • Vine Age: 34-years-old
  • Soil Type: Decomposed granitic sand intermixed with fractured clay
  • Viticulture: Practicing Organic – dry-farmed
  • Fermentation: Native – concrete egg
  • Skin Contact: None
  • Aging: 16 months in 16hL concrete egg
  • Alcohol: 13%
  • Residual Sugar: 4.6 g/L
  • pH: 3.24
  • Total Acidity: 7.0 g/L
  • Total SO2: None added
  • Total Production: 417 cases

Tasting Note

This is cutting edge Chenin at its finest. It’s edgy and brisk with a nose of cooking apples and wax. It has a rewarding, long palate packed with confected sweet-shop fruit, pithy grapefruit peel and an unswerving grip.

Press & Reviews

The WineMag

91

"From a Paardeberg Chenin Blanc vineyard planted in 1984. Handled oxidatively before ferment and reductively afterwards – left untouched in concrete for 18 months before bottling. Somewhat curious aromatics, flintiness combing with a pronounced yeasty note, cut apple and spice. The palate has good density and flavour intensity – appears relatively rich and broad, the finish savoury."

- Christian Eedes
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Producer


Mother Rock

Region


Swartland

Country


South Africa

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