Vondeling Babiana 2008

The Babiana is bottle matured for one year before being released. This practice enhances a honey-like bottle bouquet. The wine has a deliciously complex, spicey nose of ginger, jasmine, coconut and peaches.

The palate is fresh with touches of white pepper, citrus blossoms, honey and pears. The oak is well balanced and the wine has a high degree of finesse.

The mid-palate is very smooth and slightly creamy, but still tight, with a fresh citrus influence and a long, lingering aftertaste.

Do not over chill the wine. You may even like to decant the wine to unlock hidden aromas. Enjoy with grilled and tempura style fish, aromatic Thai dishes or chicken flambé pasta, possibly followed by soft Italian cheeses.

variety : Chenin Blanc [ 57% Chenin Blanc, 21% Viognier, 19% Chardonnay, 3% Grenache Blanc ]

winery : Vondeling Wines

winemaker : Matthew Copeland

wine of origin : Paardeberg Mountain

analysis : alc : 13.0 % vol rs : 3.7 g/l pH : 3.46 ta : 5.67 g/l

type : White style : Dry wooded

pack : Bottle closure : Cork

AWARDS

4 Stars - John Platter

in the vineyard : The Babiana derives its name from a tiny plant, called Babiana Noctiflora, which is unique to our beloved Paardeberg Mountain.

Vineyards
The Chenin Blanc grapes originate from 28-year-old dry land vineyards, aptly named Graveyard Chenin after the historic family grave they encompass. The vines naturally yield no more than 5 tons/ha. The Viognier and Chardonnay blocks exist on well exposed South-facing granite derived slopes with yields kept to a maximum of 6tons/ha.

Chenin Blanc and Viognier are favourites for white blends in the Voor Paardeberg. The fullness of the Chenin Blanc, as well as the structure and aroma of the Viognier is tempered by a strong mineral character, which our granite soils promote. In 2006 the addition of Chardonnay to the blend increased the “lift” on the nose and gave the wine greater finesse. The 2007 blend now also includes Grenache Blanc to increase complexity and acidity.

about the harvest: All grapes are picked at optimum ripeness in the early hours of the morning. They are then packed into a cold room to be chilled further and processed the following day.

in the cellar : All white grapes are whole berry pressed. This action reduces the absorption of phenolics and helps retain more of the grape’s natural acidity. The clear juice is transferred directly to 500-litre French oak barrels and allowed to begin fermentation spontaneously, i.e. no cultivated yeast culture is added. Although a nerve-racking process, this method promotes complexity in the wine.

Each wine is fermented separately and matured on the yeast lees for at least 7 months. During this time a high degree of malolactic fermentation occurs. Malolactic fermentation softens the acidity and promotes rich, buttery flavours. After this period the wine is blended and put back in barrel. The wine spends a total of 11 months in oak before being bottled in January. This sumptuous blend consists of 60% Chenin Blanc, 20% Chardonnay, 15% Viognier and 5% Grenache Blanc.

email the winery

email this page

find our wines in :