Although, in general, it was a difficult year for white wines, this wine shows a distinct intensity of gooseberry, green apple, lime and pineapple to reveal its varietal characteristics. A firm natural acid keeps the palate in balance with the 2.5g residual sugar and ensures a lively freshness which is so essential for a dry aperitif-style wine.
A refreshing aperitif and perfect with salads, sea-foods, sea-food pasta and spicy foods such as Chinese and Thai dishes.
in the vineyard : Origin
This wine was made from grapes originating from vineyards growing in different regions in the Cape wine-lands - Elgin (15%), Franschhoek (30%), Walker Bay (10%), Nieuwoudtville (10%), Darling and West Coast (10%), Durbanville (10%) and Elim (5%).
Vintage
Budding started early as a result of a warm August, while spring and flowering time turned cold again, causing unfavourable conditions. Summer was dry, with a heat wave in early January, while generally dry and hot conditions caused harvest-time to be even earlier. White wine flavours are not intense, but there is a balance in the analyses and taste.
Viticulture
Each vineyard grows in its own macro climate and different clones are represented. All the vineyards are trellised and managed to maintain a perfect balance between leaf coverage and yield. Thanks to a different terroirs, each region produces its own distinctive grapes, so grapes from each area make a unique contribution to the character of this wine. The grapes originating from Franschhoek and Walker Bay are organically grown.
in the cellar : The process was reductive, with cold fermentation (10° - 13° C). After fermentation, the wine was left on the lees for 3 months to enhance complexity.
The first 70 000 cartons (6 x 750ml) were bottled on 9 June 2011 and released as 2011 La Motte Sauvignon Blanc.