Colour: Brilliant green with hints of gold
Nose: Aromas of green pepper, gooseberry and asparagus
Taste: Crisp and fresh with tropical fruit underlined by green pepper and a slight grassiness with a long lingering aftertaste
It has a vibrant lime green colour and crisp acidity with a lingering finish, making it ideally suited to fish, seafood and pasta.
variety : Sauvignon Blanc [ 100% Sauvignon Blanc ]
winemaker : Martin Moore and Gunther Kellerman
wine of origin : Durbanville
analysis : alc : 11.61 % vol rs : 1.18 g/l pH : 3.38 ta : 5.76 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.
Background
Seven leading vineyard owners in the Durbanville Hills district joined together to create Durbanville Hills together with Distell in order to promote the regional individuality of this prime wine growing area, which boasts a temperate climate, with Atlantic sea breezes cooling the vines during the summer months. Grapes for this brand, which has already attracted widespread positive attention both in South Africa and abroad, are sourced only from these growers, all of whom fall under the limited appellation of Durbanville. All member vineyards subscribe to IPW (Integrated Production of Wine) growing practices, designed to sustain natural resources. They are dryland vineyards, encouraging a process of natural selection. In addition, a meticulous crop control is applied to further limit yields and promote concentration of varietal flavour.
This single-vineyard wine takes its name from Biesjes Craal, an early outpost in what is now Milnerton, where salt was collected and oxen outspanned to graze and rest.
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 meters above sea level and grown in deep, red soil, yield grapes with a dusty flavor, a typical expression of cooler Cape Sauvignon Blancs.
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 given 30 hours' skin contact to extract all possible flavour before the juice was cold fermented at 12° C. Dry ice was used to protect the must and young wine against oxidation. After fermentation, it was left on the lees for 6 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. The wine was left to mature for 12 to 18 months in the bottle to fully express its concentrated varietal fruit character.