variety : Chenin Blanc [ 100% ]
winemaker : Ken Forrester
wine of origin : Stellenbosch
analysis : alc : 10.0 % vol rs : 2.1 g/l pH : 3.14 ta : 7.3 g/l
type : Cap_Classique style : Off Dry body : Light
pack : Bottle size : 750ml closure : Screwcap
in the cellar : This winemaking technique involves bottling wine partway through its primary fermentation to trap carbon dioxide gas in the bottle, creating a gentle, bubbly carbonation. Many wines made using this method are sold unfiltered, which leaves them cloudy with some sediment at the bottom of the bottle. Some drinkers like to shake the bottle to homogenise the liquid, while others prefer to carefully pour clear wine off the sediment. Wines made using the méthode ancestrale are typically sealed with a crown cap instead of a cork. The grapes are whole-bunch pressed into a tank with no enzymes or sulphites added. We let it ferment with indigenous yeast, and as the grape sugars drop because of the alcoholic fermentation, we wait for the magic number of sugar content left, and then bottle it while it is still busy with the primary fermentation. The carbon dioxide gas is now trapped in the bottle and causes the bubbles. It then spends about 12 months on the lees in the bottle. It is disgorged under a crown cap, so it is meant to be drunk in the next year or two. An entirely natural process with the possibility of fine sediment, which is an indication of our limited interference and inherent quality.