Simonsig Vin de Liza 2017

The grapes, growing on the estate’s red clay soils, were left on the vine later than normal to allow the Botrytis cinerea fungus (noble rot) to grow. The grapes were then handpicked and the final blend spent 13 months in old French oak.

Normally served with dessert at the end of a gourmet meal, but can also be enjoyed on its own in front of the fire when you want a special treat.

variety : Sauvignon Blanc [ 65% Sauvignon Blanc, 35% Semillon ]
winemaker : Johan Malan
wine of origin : Stellenbosch
analysis : alc : 12.28 % vol  rs : 138.6 g/l  pH : 3.93  ta : 6.4 g/l  
type : Fortified  style : Sweet  taste : Fruity  
pack : Bottle  size : 0  closure : Cork  

Style of Wine: Noble Late Harvest Botrytis Wine.
Frans Malan made his first Noble Late Harvest at Simonsig in 1979, using Chenin Blanc grapes. The 1979 vintage was characterised by Botrytis developing in many different grape varieties, including Pinotage. To this day, the Vin De Liza remains the only NLH ever made from Pinotage. More recently Simonsig has been making its NLH in a classic, drier and more food friendly style, much like the famous French Sauterne wines.

about the harvest: The concentrated Botrytis berries were hand picked and hand selected in the vineyard.

in the cellar : At the cellar a team of 12 people did a painstaking second hand selection on a sorting table. It was left on the skins for 48 hours to allow the raisined berries to swell out and extract the exquisite flavours and concentrated sugar (40° Balling). Pressing is very time consuming and it yields a meagre 480 litres per 1000 kilograms. Fermentation followed by maturation in French oak lasts 12 months.

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OTHER VINTAGES

Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc
Chenin Blanc
Semillon
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