La Motte Methode Cap Classique 2009

An excellent season yielded a wine with depth and complexity. After 25 months on the lees, secondary flavours such as dough and earthy flavours are more prominent than the primary fruit flavours. Although the Chardonnay is dominant, the wine has a light salmon colour with a very fine bubbling.

La Motte MCC will complement a wide range of South African foods. Good with most local cheeses, especially soft cheese, luxury food such as oysters and crayfish, eggs in all its varieties, line-fish with or without sauce, pastries, especially mushroom quiche, salads, carpaccio and light meats such as poultry, veal and pork.

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variety : Pinot Noir [ 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay ]

winery : La Motte

winemaker : Edmund Terblanche

wine of origin : Franschhoek

analysis : alc : 12.72 % vol rs : 6.13 g/l pH : 3.32 ta : 7.76 g/l

type : Sparkling

pack : Bottle size : 0 closure : Cork

in the vineyard : Origin
La Motte Méthode Cap Classique (MCC) originates from Franschhoek and the Chardonnay as well as Pinot Noir grapes from which the wine was made, were produced on La Motte. Vineyards lie against a southern slope 200 metres above sea level.

Vintage
The preceding winter ensured good dormancy and favourable ground-water levels. However, winter was late and hampered budding of some varietals marginally. Rains during flowering could also have caused generally lower harvest volumes. A dry but cool summer followed and ensured a good ripening tempo. The Pinot Noir was harvested on 29 January 2009 and the Chardonnay on 2 February. As a result of organic management the Chardonnay was mildly affected by powdery mildew. The wine was, however, not affected negatively.

Viticulture
The vineyard rows run in an east-west direction and the soil is Clovelly with a high sand content. Vines are trellised according to the Perold system, with drip irrigation. The Chardonnay was planted in 1997 and the Pinot Noir in 1985. Vineyards are managed to maintain a perfect balance between leaf coverage and yield and have been managed organically since 2006.

about the harvest: The grapes were harvested at between 18 and 20 degrees Balling and the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were fermented separately.

in the cellar : Bunches were whole-pressed according to a programmed sparkling wine programme, the juice was allowed to settle, whereafter the clear juice was cool-fermented. Fermentation was followed by blending in the ratio 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. After stabilisation, the wine was sweetened, inoculated and then bottled on 10 September 2009. Fermentation was in the bottles and the wine was matured on the lees for 25 months. The lees was removed in November 2011 and only 3 100 bottles were released.

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