Lindhorst Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Lindhorst has always said " We are serious about terroir", so when it came to our first white wine under the Lindhorst label, we sourced it from one of the best white wine regions, Durbanville. The block is situated on a southeastern slope about 9km from the sea (280m above sea level). The soil is deep hutton with broken shale.

Harvest - The vineyard was thinned five times prior to harvest to allow maximum airflow and to keep the grapes cool and the pH''s as low as possible. Grapes were harvested in mid-January. They were hand-picked early in the morning to retain fruit freshness and crushed while it was still cool.

Vinification - The juice was left on the skins for 24 hours to extract more flavors as well as to enhance mouth feel and complexity. Juice was left to settle for 2 days. 90% of the Sauvignon Blanc was fermented in stainless steel tanks at 13 - 16 degrees C. 3% was fermented in new French oak barrels for 3 months. By the end of March all the wines had completed fermentation. The lees were stirred up twice a week till the end of May to further increase mouth feel. The wine was stabilized, lightly filtered and bottled in mid-June.

Tasting Notes - Clear, bright appearance. Loads of tropical fruit, guava and grape fruit with just a hint of fresh grass on the nose. Fruit and classic Sauvignon Blanc nose is also evident on the palate with good acid integration and lift. Although 3% wood exposed, the wine has a freshness to it. The stirring of the lees shows in a full mid palate and good mouth feel. The wine has improved after some time in the bottle. Depending on cellaring it will increase in complexity for two years or more. It should be enjoyed chilled.