variety : Semillon [ 87% Semillon, 13% Sauvignon Blanc ]
winemaker : Dawie Botha
wine of origin : Citrusdal Mountain
analysis : alc : 13.5 % vol rs : 1.7 g/l pH : 3.31 ta : 5.9 g/l
type : White style : Dry body : Medium taste : Fragrant wooded
pack : Bottle size : 750ml closure : Cork
in the vineyard : Henk Laing’s farm, Trekpoort, is situated on a stretch of land between Lamberts Bay and Clanwilliam, on the Skurfberg Mountain overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Laing has a deep understanding of this land, the vines, the weather, the animals and fynbos, having walked these soils during harvest with his father, decades ago. The metre-tall bush vines have survived 65 years of heat, red sand and a scarcity of water and still generate grapes that produce intense, weighty wines with character in spades. The vines, planted in 1956, are planted in red sand on clay, between wheat fields, apricot trees, rooibos tea bushes and fynbos. Its proximity to the ocean, the hot days with cool nights and the age of the bush vines all contribute to ripeness and naturally high acidity.
about the harvest: The 2019 vintage yield was significantly up from the previous 2018 vintage, which had suffered 3 years of intense drought conditions in a row. Variable weather conditions during the flowering and fruit set period in October led to some uneven ripening, but moderate weather during the growing season resulted in good growth and denser canopies. Slightly cooler conditions leading up to harvest resulted in great fruit flavours and exceptional acids.
in the cellar : The grapes were transported to the cellar in refrigerated trucks and cooled overnight. Bunches were hand-sorted and whole-bunch pressed the following day and the juice settled overnight. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation (90%) occurred in stainless steel tanks and 2nd fill 300ℓ French Oak barrels (38%). The wine spent 8 months on the lees before being blended and bottled.