Semillon 2009
Winemakers comments: 2009 - The year that favoured the winemaker, some would say. This vintage produced the most balanced wines in South Africa for at least the past decade. Semillon inherently doesn’t have high levels of acidity and therefore 2009 provided the perfect conditions for ripening this cultivar.
Franschhoek’s first Semillon vineyards were planted in 1902 on the alluvial soils of the Franschhoek riverbed with its high loam content. In 1942 there were more plantings on the sandy sites. These bushvines are planted 1.4m x 1.4m and yields 3.6ton/ha. The skin/pulp ratio of these old bushvines produces wines that are intensely complex, well-structured and have an unbelievable aging potential. The older block was harvested on February 20th with the vineyards on the sandier soils only ripening four days later. The grapes are pressed as whole bunches with the juice settling for 2days. CKS is used for inoculation and the fermentation starts in tank for 2-3°B before it is transferred to barrel where it finishes alcoholic fermentation. Before MLF starts, the barrels are topped and stored at 8°C. 100% new French oak is used, but because the maturation is done at such low temperatures, the extracting from the oak is minimal. During these 13 months the wine is never sulphured and no battonage is done.
TASTING NOTES: This wine has creamy white fruit on the nose, with hints of almond, spiced citrus and stonefruit. It shows an appealing freshness with blossoms and the typical minarality from this vineyard. The 2009 Semillon possesses an impressive weight on a rounded palate with its appealing texture and unmistakeable poise. With the lanolin and other tertiary flavours that will develop with bottle age, this wine will be one of the most complex and balanced ever to be produced from these 107 year old vines. The lively natural acidity was enhanced by blending it with 8% of 2010 Sauvignon Blanc from Boekenhoutskloof.
Analysis:
Alc: 13.41 % vol
RS: 2.1 g/l
TA: 5.4 g/l
VA: 0.48 g/l
pH: 3.34
