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Simonsig The Grapesmith Die Kluisenaar 2017

With a light golden hue, Die Kluisenaar entices with aromas of acacia and lemon tart, baked apple and hints of lightly toasted nuts. A rich and well structured palate with a silky texture. Well defined acidity is complimented by an inkling of minerality and a lingering finish.

The perfect accompaniment to poached lobster and fresh grilled seafood. Also pairs beautifully with an array of poultry dishes and can be excellently complimented by a good quality Gruyere cheese.
Serve in large glasses and allow to breathe. Do not over chill. 10 to 12°C.
variety : Roussanne [ 50% Roussanne, 50% Marsanne ]
winemaker : .
wine of origin : Stellenbosch
analysis : alc : 13.97 % vol  rs : 4.33 g/l  pH : 3.19  ta : 6.68 g/l  
pack : 0  size : 750ml  closure : 0  
about the harvest: Harvested on 1 February 2017 at 22° Balling from a cool site overlooking False Bay.
Roussanne ripens very rapidly and 2017 was no exception, with grapes harvested at 24.8° Balling with beautiful body and texture. Grapes were
harvested on 28 February 2017 from a vineyard high up on the cool south-west facing slopes of Simonsberg, then cooled overnight in picking crates. 
in the cellar : The grapes were cooled down overnight to 5°C. Grapes were whole bunch pressed early the next morning with the juice taken directly into 225 litre French oak barrels for a spontaneous fermentation, utilising the yeast strains naturally occurring on the berries. The wine was left in barrel with minimal interference, apart from stirring the lees and topping up when needed. No malolactic fermentation was done, in order to preserve the primary fresh fruit aromas. Lower ripeness also keeps the alcohol low to balance the fuller and fatter Roussanne.

This blend is known to make some of the longest living white wines in France. Something that I discovered is that often the half bottle left in the fridge for a day or two tastes even better with a bit of aeration. This type of wine is not so much about the primary grape aromas, but a lot of the pleasure comes from the structure, palate weight and texture of the wine with a touch of the elusive minerality.

The grapes were whole bunch pressed early the next morning with only the most gentle pressing in order to yield delicate juice with refined flavours. The wine was fermented naturally in 225 litre French oak barrels. Barrels were between 7 and 12 years old. The fermentation was quite warm to allow the yeast to make abundant glycerol. The wine spent a total of 12 months on the primary lees with occasional battonage to stir up the lees. No MLF was allowed and after a light filtration the blend was bottled in March 2018.
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Simonsig The Grapesmith Die Kluisenaar 2017
Roussanne