Simonsig Vin de Liza 2010

Bright shiny brilliant gold colour. The nose shows rich honeyed fruit with layers of dried apricots, baked apples and sundried raisins. There are perfumed aromas which are complemented by a seductive nutty oak spiciness. The palate is silky smooth with a delicious earthy, wet river stone minerality which keeps the sweetness well balanced. A beautifully well integrated wine with layered complexity and a seamless texture. Perfect to enjoy now but further cellaring would be highly rewarded. This is a Noble late harvest in the classic drier wood matured style of Sauternes.

Normally served with dessert at the end of a gourmet meal, but can also be enjoyed on its own in front of the fire when you want a special treat.

variety : Sauvignon Blanc [ 65% Sauvignon Blanc, 35% Semillon ]
winemaker : Johan Malan
wine of origin : Stellenbosch
analysis : alc : 12.28 % vol  rs : 138.6 g/l  pH : 3.93  ta : 6.4 g/l  
type : Fortified  style : Sweet  taste : Fruity  
pack : Bottle  size : 0  closure : Cork  

AWARDS
2010
2013 Veritas Wine Awards - Silver
2008

2011 Platter's Guide: 3.5 stars
2006
2007 Winemakers' Choice Awards - Diamond Award
2007 International Wine and Spirit Competition - Silver Best in Class
2008 Platter's Guide - 4.5 stars
2005
2006 July Wine Magazine – 3.5 stars
in the vineyard : Frans Malan made his first Noble late Harvest at Simonsig in 1979 using Chenin Blanc. The 1979 vintage was characterised by Botrytis developing in many different grape varieties. Pinotage was one of them and to this day it remains the only NLH ever made from Pinotage. Over the years different grape varieties were used like Bukettraube and Rhine Riesling. More recently Simonsig has been making its NLH in a classic drier food friendly style like the famous French Sauterne wines.

The ideal cooler conditions were similar to 2007 and 1997 and the results is wines which were picked riper without the risks of losing the characteristics herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc fruits. This means there are riper and more complex flavours at higher intensity levels. Cooler weather also benefited flavours in Semillon and lower yields also helped to bring more intensity. Only twelve rows were left for botrytis and left to ripen over 40° to use in the Vin de Liza. 2009 was a difficult year for the formation of botrytis that resulted that lots of grapes were lost due to grey rot.

about the harvest: The concentrated Botrytis berries were hand picked and hand selected in the vineyard.

in the cellar : At the cellar a team of 12 people did a painstaking second hand selection on a sorting table. It was left on the skins for 48 hours to allow the raisined berries to swell out and extract the exquisite flavours and concentrated sugar (40° Balling). Pressing is very time consuming and it yields a meagre 480 litres per 1000 kilograms. Fermentation followed by maturation in French oak lasts 12 months.

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OTHER VINTAGES

Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc
Chenin Blanc
Semillon
Bukettraube