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Circumstance Viognier 2012 by Waterkloof

Citrus and peach flavours with a touch of oak can be enjoyed on the nose. These aromas are complimented on the luscious palate with a long, lingering finish.

variety : Viognier [ 100% Viognier ]
winery : Waterkloof
winemaker : Werner Engelbrecht
wine of origin : Western Cape
analysis : alc : 13.5 % vol  rs : 2.0 g/l  pH : 3.61  ta : 4.5 g/l  
type : White  style : Dry  body : Medium  taste : Mineral   wooded
pack : Bottle  size : 750ml  closure : Cork  

ageing : Drink within 2 years.
in the vineyard : Circumstance Viognier is grown on the windswept, low-yielding slopes of Schaapenberg Hill. Strong winds churn up the vineyards regularly. We use Organic and Biodynamic methods based on old world sustainable practices in our vineyards to ensure that the vines are nourished and in balance. Our soils are free of chemicals and are kept healthy by using plant extracts, fungi and bacteria from our home-made compost.

These traditional methods ensure a balanced vine with low production and intense flavours. This allows for low production and intense flavours. The vineyards are situated roughly 5 kilometres from the ocean, and are planted at a height of between 270 and 300 metres above sea level. The soils are of sandstone origin, with medium-sized stones helping with drainage and also providing a very good ability to retain moisture. The vineyards are an average age of 9 years. Production was approximately 2 t/ha.
about the harvest: And A Few Prayers To Mother Nature- 2011/12 Growing Season
Winter seems to be the foundation on which every new season is built. It sets up the vines for the coming growing season and its effects can be felt throughout the growing season. We experienced very cold weather in the early part of winter, which allowed for even bud break in Spring. Vines did bud a bit earlier than normal due to the warmer weather experienced during the latter part of winter. Rainfall was very low during the winter period which is always a problem in areas where we rely on winter rains for our dams as well as to fill up the ground water levels. The dry conditions followed through into summer with a smaller crop the result. Very warm weather in early January caused sunburn in dry land areas and had a negative effect on the size of the crop. Fortunately the warm spell was followed by cooler temperatures for the rest of the ripening period. Grapes could ripen properly and harvest started about 2 weeks later than normal due to the cool growing conditions during the final ripening period.
in the cellar : The winemaking philosophy for all premium white wines from Waterkloof is the same. We follow a traditional, minimalistic approach which means that we interfere as little as possible with the winemaking process. This allows the flavours prevalent in that specific vineyard to be expressed. To achieve this goal, all grapes are whole-bunch pressed to ensure that we extract the juice in the gentlest way. The juice is then allowed to settle for 24 hours, after which it is racked from the settling tank into 600 litre barrels. The naturally-occurring yeast or “wild yeast” was allowed to start the fermentation. This leads to a longer fermentation with a slow release of aromas and a more structured palate. Fermentation took 12 months to complete. It was matured for a further 2 months in barrel, after which it was racked. We also do not add acid or any enzymes during the process and only a light filtration was used prior to bottling.
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Circumstance Viognier 2012 by Waterkloof
Viognier