Du Toitskloof Nebbiolo 2013

ageing : 

Enjoy now or drink within four years of bottling.

Nebbiolo is king of the vineyards in Northern Italy. The name of the varietal comes from “nebbia”, which means mist. The misty conditions and soils of the Western Cape have favoured our Nebbiolo wine.

The grapes were harvested from the farm Dagbreek of which the vineyards lie within a few kilometres of the cellar. The vines, grafted onto Richter 99 rootstock, are relatively young. It grows in deep, sandy loam. Leaf canopies are well managed and protect the grapes against excessive direct sunlight. Based on soil moisture levels as measured by neutron hydrometers in the vineyards, controlled irrigation is applied, thereby also ensuring small berries filled with flavour.

We harvest approximately 20 tons of Nebbiolo at 26° Balling. Grapes are left in the vineyard until it reaches physiological ripeness.

The grapes were crushed at 26° Balling and pumped to rotor tanks where it was left on the skins for three days at temperatures of between 10°C and 15°C to achieve maximum extraction of colour and flavour. Selected yeast strains were added and fermentation allowed to take place at a controlled temperature of 24° C while the rotor tanks were turned every four to six hours to increase extraction. After the primary fermentation of six to seven days, the wine was racked and the skins pressed. Some of the pressed wine was blended back to provide additional depth. After malolactic fermentation, the wine was aged for nine to ten months in French oak before bottling.

Chief winemaker: Shawn Thomson
Winemakers: Chris Geldenhuys, Willie Stofberg