variety : Pinot Gris [ 100% Pinot Grigio ]
winemaker : Estelle Lourens
wine of origin : Coastal
analysis : alc : 12.19 % vol rs : 3.6 g/l pH : 3.15 ta : 6.1 g/l
type : White style : Off Dry taste : Fruity
pack : Bottle closure : Screwcap
in the vineyard : Background
Flat Roof Manor is an exciting new label to emerge from the premier wine-growing region of Stellenbosch, featuring two debut 2004 easy-drinking but sophisticated whites made by Estelle Lourens.
The screwcap range is named for the 18th century townhouse at the winery, where Lourens is based. One of just three two-storied neo-classical houses in this style at the Cape, it is thought to have been designed by the eminent architect Michel Thibault. It was completed in 1788.
The label that depicts the detailing of the flat topped roof also shows a cat that according to popular local legend, stayed long after the original owners had moved on, to lap up the sun year after year.
Vineyard Location
The grapes used to craft this wine came from two vineyards in the highly acclaimed Stellenbosch region.
The vineyard is situated at 260me above sea level and faces northwest. The vines, which are 24 years old, are grafted onto nematode-resistant Richter 99 rootstocks and are grown in soils originating from decomposed granite.They are trellised on a four-wire system and received supplementary irrigation during the growing season.The crop was limited to 7 tons per hectare.
Viticulturist: Eben Archer
in the cellar : No skin contact was allowed and only the free-run juice was used. The fermentation was started with a pure yeast culture (NT116, Oenoferm Freddo and Oenoferm Boutique) and finished after 20 days. Thereafter the wine was left on the lees for a period of 1 month to gain in complexity. 10% Sauvignon blanc and 5% Semillon was added to the blend before bottling took place in April 2008.