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Saga Vineyards

2020

‘Doortjie’

Colombard   |   Montagu - South Africa
Shelf Talker Spec Sheet Wine Label Bottle Image

About

For the first time since working with this site, Reenen felt the Colombard should stand on its own. The intensity of the 2020 vintage coupled with intense vineyard work has resulted in a terroir-driven wine that in many ways transforms this variety. This true destination vineyard in Montagu has become somewhat of a cult sensation by those in the know and while quantities are very small, one 600L barrel for this vintage, the ‘Doortjie’ appears to be the next wine in the stable of great single-vineyard offerings. The wine is named after the Dutch word for ‘door’ as this block is the first one after you enter into the vineyard.

The fruit was hand-harvested and chilled overnight. The next morning the fruit was entirely whole-bunch pressed directly to a single 600L old French barrel. The wine settled lightly for 24 hours prior to being stirred up a bit to get the fermentation quickly started without any additions. After that one light handling the wine sat on its primary lees without any battonage over a 10 month period of time. It was bottled directly from barrel without fining but with a coarse filtration and a small 45ppm addition of sulfur.

Stats

  • Grapes: 100% Colombard
  • Vineyard: Patatsfontein Vineyard - Doortjie Block
  • Vine Age: 34-years-old
  • Soil Type: Limestone riddled Karoo grey slate
  • Viticulture: Practicing Organic
  • Fermentation: Native – neutral 600L French oak puncheon
  • Skin Contact: None
  • Aging: 10 months sur-lie in a single 600L neutral French puncheon
  • Alcohol: 13.1%
  • pH: 3.24
  • Total Acidity: 6.1 g/L
  • Total SO2: 62 ppm
  • Total Production: 66 cases
  • UPC: 6008409000182

Tasting Note

This shows subtle aromatics of pear, peach skin, a salty mineral tone and a subtle aroma of wet earth leading to a palate with ample fruit but by no means abrasive. The palate has a tea note that definitely highlights the complexity this often maligned grape can have. The moderate acid leads to a savory and long finish tying in a wine that can certainly evolve over the next 5-10 years nicely.

Press & Reviews

Platter's Guide

94

"Adds to ranks of serious varietal colombard. 2020 captures grape’s wild herb, fynbos character & rugged note in echoes of its origin. Refinement too in richness, breadth of palate, youthfully contained by tense, savoury acid. Natural ferment, older oak, as all."

- Angela Lloyd

Tim Atkin, MW

93

"Colombard is widely planted in the Cape, yet rarely delivers the quality of this example from the Karoo slate soils of high-altitude Montagu. Volumes are small, but this is like a South African Aligoté, with chiselled acidity, leesy concentration and some tannic grip. 2022-26"

- Tim Atkin, MW

The WineMag

92

"The 2020 shows subtle aromatics of pear, peach and perhaps a touch of earthiness while the palate has lovely fruit expression, moderate acidity and a gently savoury finish. It’s balanced and understated and just jolly good drinking – with Borman joining the likes of Ian Naudé and Lukas van Loggerenberg in choosing to work with the variety, there’s a good chance it’s going to be the Next Big Thing."

- Christian Eedes

Producer


Saga Vineyards

Region


Montagu

Country


South Africa

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