Du Toitskloof Chenin Blanc 2009

Name: Du Toitskloof Chenin Blanc 2009
Brand: Du Toitskloof
SKU: 21940

Full, fruity nose, with whiffs of pineapple, pear and honey. Medium-bodied, balance between fruit acidity and touch of residual sugar. Citrus, nettle and honeyed tones on soft, dry finish.

Can be enjoyed on its own or with seafood, white meat dishes such as chicken and pasta as well as with salads.

To buy our wines in South Africa, please click here

variety : Chenin Blanc [ 100% Chenin Blanc ]

winery : DTK Wines

winemaker : Philip Jordaan & Shawn Thompson

wine of origin : Breede River

analysis : alc : 12.4 % vol rs : 6.8 g/l pH : 3.3 ta : 6.7 g/l

type : White style : Dry body : Medium taste : Fruity

pack : Bottle closure : Screwcap

AWARDS

2009 Michelangelo International Wine Awards - Gold medal
WINE Magazine August 2009 - 3 stars

in the vineyard : Background
Du Toitskloof Wine Cellar (DTK) was established by six wine farmers as a cooperative winery in 1962. Today it has 22 members whose vineyards all lie within a 10 km radius of the cellar. It is located near the town of Rawsonville in the Breede River Valley, at the entrance to the Du Toitskloof Mountain Pass. The stony soils of the area are ideally suited to grape growing. DTK's award-winning wines are known for their excellent quality at affordable prices, and during the last five years it has been rated the South African cellar offering the best value by WINE magazine, three times. The cellar produces some 10 million litres of wine a year from 13 500 tons of grapes, of which 60% is white and 40%, red. Its major white cultivar is Sauvignon blanc, followed by Chardonnay, Chenin blanc and Semillon. The main red cultivars are Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot and Pinotage.

In the vineyards
The grapes were all harvested from farms within a 5km radius from the cellar and from vines between 5 and 10 years old, growing in deep alluvial soils with moderate water retention. The vines were mostly grafted on Richter 99 rootstock and received supplementary irrigation based on hydrometer readings. Canopies were actively managed to ensure bunches were kept in the shade and away from direct sunlight.

about the harvest: To ensure they reached the cellar in the coolest possible state, the grapes were mechanically harvested at night at 19° to 21° Balling and transported enveloped in layers of dry ice to reduce contact with oxygen. The first grapes have a high acidity with flavours of grass and green pepper followed by the ensuing harvest's aromas of gooseberry and tropical fruit blending to form the perfect balance.

in the cellar : After crushing the juice was pumped to an enclosed press where it was kept on the skins for 24 hours to allow for optimal flavour extraction. Only the free-run juice was then pumped over and allowed to settle under reductive conditions. The juice was cooled to -4° C and kept at that temperature for two to three weeks when all excess water in the juice was frozen, a practice which increases the flavour concentration and the sugar level. The juice was then pumped out of the cold tanks and the temperature allowed to rise to 8° to 10° C after which it was inoculated with natural yeast strains. Fermentation took place in steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 13° to 15° C. After about 20 days the wine was fermented dry and was then protein- and cold-stabilised before bottling.

email the winery

email this page

find our wines in :