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Ernie Els Sauvignon Blanc 2017

The concentrated and highly anticipated 2017 vintage has produced a rich and flavoursome Sauvignon Blanc. Sourced from both Stellenbosch and Philadelphia, there is terrific balance of tropical fruit, cool climate elegance and a mineral structure. Blasts of gooseberries, guava, passionfruit and lime coat your palate in a dance-off between freshness and power. A dash of Semillon complements the palate further, offering a touch of spice and deep texture. A hint of herbs on the finish add further complexity to a charming yet momentous Sauvignon Blanc.

variety : Sauvignon Blanc [ 96.6% Sauvignon Blanc, 3.4% Semillon ]

winery : Ernie Els Wines

winemaker : Louis Strydom

wine of origin : Western Cape

analysis : alc : 13.91 % vol rs : 2.7 g/l pH : 3.3 ta : 7.1 g/l

type : White style : Dry body : Full taste : Fruity

pack : Bottle size : 750ml closure : Cork

in the vineyard : The previous growing season had its challenges, which seemed to roll over into the 2016/2017 growing season with the continuation of the drought. Winter 2016 was quite dry with even less rain than the previous year. Spring was an illusion as we basically went straight into warmer summer days. Bud burst was good due to sufficient soil moisture, but with the warmer spring/summer weather the soil started losing moisture quickly which naturally reduced shoot growth. The vineyard then naturally focuses its energy on developing and ripening the small bunches. Smaller berries led to more concentrated colour and flavour. The dry conditions also led to the vineyards and grapes being very healthy overall.

With moderate, but warm days during December and January we saw the start of harvest return to its normal date. The uninterrupted warmth during harvest also helped the bunches reach optimal ripeness while the berries steadily developed its flavours over a slightly longer period of time. The white wines from the 2017 vintage appear astoundingly good, with great structure and good flavours.

about the harvest:

The Sauvignon Blanc grapes were harvested from individually selected, low yielding vines from two appellations namely Darling and Stellenbosch. Each viticultural area and terroir lends its own unique flavour profile to the final blend.

The grapes were hand-picked in the cool of early morning.
Harvest: February, 2017. 23.0° Brix average sugar at harvest

in the cellar : On the sorting table, all excess stalks and inferior berries were carefully removed. Grape bunches were gently de-stemmed with a de-stalker and lightly crushed. The wine was settled overnight and the sediment racked-off the following day. Fermentation took place at low temperatures (12-14°C) in stainless steel tanks with a combination of yeasts, over a two week period. Working very reductively in the cellar after both crushing and de-stemming, post fermentation lees contact was maintained for two months with weekly stirring of the lees before racking and stabilization prior to bottling. This wine is crafted in a fresh style without any oak component.

Production: 6 200 x 6 x 750ml cases
Release Date: 1 October 2017
Sustainability Initiative I.P.W. (Intergrated Production of Wine) Certified

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