Neethlingshof Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2016

ageing : This full-bodied, complex wine with its racy acidity has the capacity to age for at least two years if correctly cellared.

Background
Grapes have been grown on Neethlingshof for more than 300 years or within 50 years of the Dutch East-India Company establishing a victualling station at the Cape to supply its passing ships. The farm was initially called De Wolvendans (The Dance of Wolves). Soon after full ownership of the farm was acquired by Johannes Henoch Neethling towards the end of the 1820s, the name was changed to Neethlingshof.
A member of the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative, acknowledged for its protection of indigenous habitat, the 273 ha estate has set aside 116 ha for conservation. It cultivates both red and white varietals, with the bias marginally in favour of whites. The main white varieties are Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer. The predominant soil types found on the farm are Oakleaf and Tukulu.

The vineyards
The south-facing, 3,97ha vineyard that provided the grapes for this wine, was established in 1997, with vines grafted onto Richter 110 rootstock. Sited between 120m and 180m above sea level, it is exposed to the cooling effect of the south-westerly winds blowing off False Bay in summer. The vineyard, in which an “open canopy” approach is employed, is shared with some graceful duiker, small antelope that live among the vines. The slow-ripening grapes were harvested late to obtain a concentrated intensity of flavour.

An average of 4 tons per ha were hand-harvested at the end of February, at 23° Balling. The grapes were not crushed but taken directly to an enclosed press where the juice was gently squeezed out in the presence of carbon dioxide to limit its exposure to oxygen and thus the possibility of oxidation. The juice was allowed to settle before fermentation which took place over a period of three weeks at 12° C. The wine was bottled in May 2012.