Stats
- Grapes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
- Vineyard: Single vineyard in Sondagskloof
- Vine Age: 16-years-old
- Soil Type: Quartz based soils with limestone
- Viticulture: Sustainable
- Fermentation: Native – 50% on skins in stainless steel (100% destemmed) and 50% whole-bunch pressed in French barrique
- Skin Contact: 13 days (50% of the lot)
- Aging: 18 months - 50% in a single 500L new French tonneau and the other 50% in old French barriques
- Alcohol: 12.3%
- pH: 3.11
- Total Acidity: 7.5 g/L
- Total SO2: 106 ppm
- Total Production: 175 cases
- UPC: 781718158305
Tasting Note
Combining skin and barrel-fermented components, with wild yeasts adding yet another dimension, this wine is showing incredible black current intensity, aromatic spices and passion fruit. The underlying minerality adds depth to this beautifully expressive Sauvignon Blanc.
Press & Reviews
Jancis Robinson
17.5
"100% Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes for this wine some from a site ‘just past Sijnn’ that’s not yet in the Agulhas Wine Triangle. Made at Black Oystercatcher. Grapes bought in a long-standing arrangement. 50% skin ferment – 27 °C in an open fermenter, ambient-yeast ferment. After basket pressing it went straight to a new 500-litre Eclat barrel from Vinea. Toasted with ceramics, ‘like little irons – so no open fire’. The other 50% is whole-bunch pressed and straight to older barrels for fermentation. Ambient-yeast ferment.
Quite a floral nose, and absolutely no obvious wood element. So many phenolics are extracted from the skin ferment that the oak tannins bind with them. First vintage 2018 was a real experiment – brave! Spicy element as well as floral. No obvious skin-contact character. It completely surprised her. ‘I wouldn’t do this with Elim grapes, only with these with their strong blackcurrant flavour.’"
- Jancis Robinson
Quite a floral nose, and absolutely no obvious wood element. So many phenolics are extracted from the skin ferment that the oak tannins bind with them. First vintage 2018 was a real experiment – brave! Spicy element as well as floral. No obvious skin-contact character. It completely surprised her. ‘I wouldn’t do this with Elim grapes, only with these with their strong blackcurrant flavour.’"
- Jancis Robinson
The WineMag
96
"50% of the grapes fermented on the skins for 15 days before being racked to new 500-litre barrels, the other 50% fermented in older oak. Complex and exotic aromatics of naartjie, nectarine and granadilla plus potpourri and dried herbs. The palate has a great core of fruit to go with an arresting line of acidity and long, pithy finish. Taut and yet full of detail."
- Christian Eedes
- Christian Eedes
Tim Atkin, MW
95
"Every bit as refined and complex as its beautiful label suggests, this world class Sauvignon Blanc comes from up-and-coming Sondagskloof and is very much a cool climate style. Brine and rock pool aromas segue into a palate of lemon, grapefruit and subtle vanilla spice with a pithy, oyster shell tang on the finish."
- Tim Atkin, MW
- Tim Atkin, MW