This is a 100% Sauvignon Blanc and was made from the fourth production of grapes from one vineyard in the Walker Bay area close to the town Bot River. The slope faces south-west and is situated approximately 10 kilometers from the Indian Ocean.
The build-up towards the 2007 season was almost perfect for wine-making, with a cold winter, cool spring-time, welcome early summer rains and a dry January. Routine leaf management and other necessary practices were almost problem-free until the end of January, when the Boland area experienced an unusually long-lasting heat wave. Early varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc were deprived of the valuable last period of hanging on the vines and earlier harvesting was necessary. In spite of this, the fl avours and analyses were good, with high acids combined with higher sugars. Grapes were also exceptionally healthy.
The plant material is from the clone SB11 and was grafted on rootstock Richter 99. Plant width is 2,7 x 1,2 and the vineyard is trellised. The block, planted in 2001, is irrigated.The farm and this block are organically managed and, with medium potential soils, these vines were not yet fully trellised and mature. During this vintage a good balance existed between bunches in the sun and shaded bunches. The result is a mix of tropical fl avours and a green spectrum of fl avours typical of this varietal.
The grapes were picked at between 22 and 24 degrees Balling and transported to the La Motte cellar in a refrigerated truck. After de-stalking, the grapes were cold-soaked for sixteen hours. Fermentation took place at 11 degrees Celsius in stainless steel tanks and continued for 30 days. The wine was left on the lees for four months before bottling took place on 18 June 2007. Only 2 000 (12 x 750 ml) cartons were bottled.
The wine has a pale straw colour with a light green tint. It shows a rich complexity of tropical fruit fl avours such as passion fruit, melon, apples and litchi. There are also hints of “fynbos”, the natural vegetation on the farm. On the palate there are lime and gooseberry fl avours, complemented by a fi rm structure and refreshing acidity. The wine has a persistent mineral fi nish.
Alcohol 13,82% vol
Residual sugar 1,6 g/l
Total acid 5,96 g/l
pH 3,33
