variety : Sauvignon Blanc [ 100% Sauvignon Blanc ]
winemaker : Martin Moore and Gunther Kellerman
wine of origin : Durbanville
analysis : alc : 10.92 % vol rs : 3.4 g/l pH : 3.4 ta : 6.4 g/l
type : White
pack : Bottle closure : Cork
in the vineyard : Introduction
The wine has come into its own after sufficient time in the bottle and its grassy, green pepper and asparagus flavours are now emerging on the nose and palate, backed by tropical fruits and gooseberries.
It has a vibrant lime green colour and crisp acidity with a lingering finish, making it ideally suited to fish and seafood.
Background
This single-vineyard wine takes its name from Biesjes Craal the name of an early outpost in what is now Milnerton, where salt was collected and oxen outspanned to graze and rest before trekking.
The Vineyards
The grapes for this wine came from a very steep, south-facing vineyard, established in the 1970s, on the farm Bloemendal. The bush vines, located 320 metres above sea level and grown in deep, red soil, yield grapes with a dusty flavor, a typical expression of cooler Cape Sauvignon Blancs, in the opinion of winemaker Martin Moore.
about the harvest: The grapes were hand-harvested at 23.7° Balling, in February, with prominent grassy flavours, reminiscent of the New Zealand cool climate Sauvignon Blancs.
in the cellar : The fruit was fermented cold at 12° C and given 30 hours' skin contact to extract all possible flavour. It was protected against oxidation by the use of dry ice. After fermentation, it was left on the lees for six months to allow the yeast cells to break up and release the inherent flavours and create a structure for aging over the next few years. Moore believes the wine needed at 12 to 18 months' bottle aging to fully express its concentrated varietal fruit character.