Rudera Robusto Chenin Blanc 2000

Recently, the Robusto Chenin blanc 2000 came third at the annual Wine Magazine Chenin blanc Challenge. Other accolades include a gold medal at the Michelangelo International Wine Award 2002; a silver medal in the South African Trophy Wine Show 2002 (Top 100 wines); a top ten finalist in the Diners Club winemaker of the Year awards; and **** rating in the 2003 Platter Guide.

ageing : 

Drinking exceptionally well now and will gain in intricacy with bottle maturation. We hope this wine will show well at eight years if cellared correctly.

These Chenin blanc vineyards are situated on a cool slope at an altitude of 230m above sea level, in the prime Koelenhof area of Stellenbosch. The bush vines were planted on broken shale in 1979 and are fully mature. Canopy management of the vines ensured natural high acidity and full flavour concentration. No irrigation is available and the yield was 5,4 (25hl/ha - only free-run juice used) tons per hectare.

The grapes were handpicked in the early morning from old bush vines at 26.9º Balling. The grapes came in on the morning of 7 March. The yield was 5,4 (25hl/ha - only free run juice used) tons per hectare, with an acid of 9,1 g/l and a pH of 3,0. A total of 680x6x750ml was made.

The grapes were lightly crushed and the free-run juice was allowed to settle for 48 hours. VIN7 yeast was used in making this wine. The clear juice with the fluffy lees was then fermented in 225-l (50% new and the rest 2nd and 3rd fill)French barriques. Fermentation took place in a 14ºC cellar but actual fermentation temperatures were not monitored. Rudera Robusto Chenin blanc matured in barrel for eight months on the lees; thereafter it was racked, lightly filtered and bottled without being stabilized.