Colour: Golden yellow
Nose: A delightful combination of honeycomb, citrus, dried peaches, apricots and fig preserve on the nose.
Taste: The wine holds a light viscosity with typical botrytis flavours, citrus and dried fruit.
Enjoy on its own, chilled, or served with strong cheeses, fig preserve, patés and desserts.
variety : Sauvignon Blanc [ 100% Sauvignon Blanc ]
winemaker : Martin Moore and Gunther Kellerman
wine of origin : Durbanville Hills
analysis : alc : 9.59 % vol rs : 182.5 g/l pH : 3.49 ta : 7.7 g/l
type : White wooded
pack : Bottle closure : Screwcap
in the vineyard : Background
Nine leading vineyard owners in the Durbanville district joined forces with Distell to create Durbanville Hills with the aim of promoting the regional individuality of this prime wine-growing area. The striking Durbanville Hills cellar sits on the side of a series of rolling hills with magnificent views of Table Mountain and Table Bay - the very geography that lies at the heart of what makes the wines so unique. The Durbanville ward is officially considered one of the Cape’s two coolest wine regions, thanks to the sea breezes that drift inland from False Bay and Table Bay and the late afternoon mists that bathe the slopes. These conditions are ideal for the slow ripening of the grapes, allowing them to develop their fullflavoured, intense character. Grapes are sourced only from the shareholder- growers, all of whom farm within the limited appellation of Durbanville. Meticulous crop control limits yields and promotes concentration of varietal flavour. Cellarmaster Martin Moore uses highly advanced cellar technology to ensure optimal extraction of colour and flavour.
Sustainable practices include maintaining the disciplines imposed by International Environmental Standard ISO 140001 such as in the treatment of waste water back to irrigation quality. In all its vineyards the growing practices prescribed by IPW (Integrated Production of Wine) are followed. These are designed to sustain natural resources. In addition, the members protect on their farms 410 ha of endangered Renosterveld as part of the Biodiversity Wine Initiative (BWI).
The Rhinofields range carries very limited release wines and the name refers to the indigenous Cape fynbos growing close to the Durbanville Hills cellar and which is being conserved.
The vineyards (vineyard consultant: Drikus Heyns)
The Sauvignon blanc grapes were sourced from the farm Morgenster and one of the highest Sauvignon blanc vineyard blocks in the valley, surrounded by indigenous Cape fynbos. This south-facing slope offers a natural protection against late afternoon sun, producing healthy grapes and the gradual ripening of the fruit, resulting in an abundance of flavour. The deep, well drained red soils allowed for good water retention and sustained the vines during the extended ripening period. At the end of the harvest regular cool mist bathed the slopes creating the perfect climate for the making of a noble late harvest while still preserving the varietal character of the grapes. This unique combination of climate, soil, altitude and slope orientation captured the true varietal character for this wine.
in the cellar : Only the best bunches were selected with a mix of green and yellow berries with 40% clean raisin and botrytis berries in between. The fruit was sorted at the cellar and fed directly into the press to improve drainage through the stems. The free-run juice was allowed to drain and later returned to the mash for an 18-hour period to increase extraction of the Botrytis character from the raisined berries. The juice was drained after this period and lightly pressed to the fermentation tank. The juice was inoculated after a lengthy rehydration of the yeast to ensure that the yeast was tolerant enough for the higher sugar levels. The must was allowed to ferment between 18°C - 20°C for six days, after which the fermentation was stopped at the desired sugar level. Soon after, the wine was stabilised, filtered and bottled.