Viognier grows at the base of our vineyard, a small block producing just a few hundred litres of wine each year. This vineyard is mulched with citrus chips to return as much organic material as possible into the soil and create a healthy sub-surface ecosystem.
Because of our estate vineyard’s small size, we also source part of the grapes for this wine from the Lynedoch area in Stellenbosch. Grapes in this cool-climate area ripen slowly and produce wines in an austere style, adding balance and complexity to our estate fruit which tends to produce rich, floral notes.
Upon arrival at the winery, the fruit is cooled to 5° Celsius overnight. Bunches are sorted whole and pressed into stainless steel tanks to settle. Primary fermentation occurs in 300 liter French oak barrels. A portion of the blend is fermented using wild yeast populations. The wine is kept on the lees for 9 months before bottling and stirred frequently to add weight and richness.
This Viognier has bright, explosive, floral aromas of honeysuckle and orange blossom. The primary fruit expression is peach and pear, with a hint of straw. The lengthy, dry finish reveals a bit of spice and dried herbs. This wine is ready to be enjoyed now and can be cellared through at least 2016.
