The Chardonnay was selected from various sites in the Darling and Robertson regions. Sites consisting of decomposed granite and weathered shale with rich limestone deposits.

The 2013 vintage is a brilliant follow-on from the maiden 2012 release. 2013 offers a wonderful balance of ripe fruit and restraint. The Chardonnay grapes were hand-selected and hand-picked. After whole bunch pressing and the separation of cuvée from the taille the clear juice was mainly fermented in stainless steel, with a small portion being fermented in traditional barrels from Tonnellerie Artisanale de Champagne. After the first fermentation, the wine was prepared for secondary fermentation in the bottle. The wine was left on the lees for six years before the sediment was removed by the traditional process of remuage and dégorgement. The bottles were then corked and laid down for a further six months cork maturation.

A refined, light straw colour with a fine beady mousse. Delicate yeasty tones, layered with green lime zest, citrus and brioche. Enlivened with a firm, well integrated mousse and a persistent bead. Great vibrant mouth-feel with toasty notes, citrus, honey and tropical nuances with a bright long lingering finish.

100% Chardonnay

100% Chenin blanc. A single-vineyard wine from a bush vine parcel planted in 1980. The vineyard is situated a mere 4 km’s from the shores of False Bay.

This Chenin Blanc has been fermented and aged as naturally as possible, without intervention and in search of an authentic reflection of its origin. The grapes were handpicked in the early morning hours to preserve fruit integrity. The fruit was then gently pressed after a brief period of skin contact. The juice was settled overnight without the use of settling enzymes and from here it was fed directly to French oak barrels (all seasoned oak) where fermentaion occured spontaneously. The wine was aged on its lees in barrel for 9 months, with no batonage. The wine was bottled after a coarse filtration in November 2018.

The vineyard’s pure fruit quality radiates pear, white peach and lemon. Bright stone fruit follows through on the palate which is marked by a rich texture and a soft, coated acidity. The wine has a persistent finish showing subtle hints of white spice and orange blossom.

The wine delivers immediate drinking pleasure but will gain in complexity with further cellaring. Optimum drinking : 2020 – 2025 (8° C).

100% Chenin Blanc

Fruit from two exceptional, ocean facing sites on the foothills of the Helderberg is used for this Chardonnay. With the vines now 25 years old, the wine that these vines produce shows the typical intensity that one can expect from mature Chardonnay vineyards. The crunchy, granite derived soil type (Clovelly) imparts a lovely, flinty minerality to the wine and proximity to sea means the wine naturally possesses a bracing freshness.

The grapes were all hand-picked at dawn into small lug-bins, chilled in our white wine cellar, then hand-fed over a sorting table. Whole bunch pressed, with the free-run juice settled for two days before being gravity-fed into barrel. Alcoholic fermentation entirely carried out in barrel (only using natural ambient yeast) for 8–10 weeks. Cellar maintained very cold at about 10° Celsius (fermentation peaking at about 18°), then temperature dropped to 7°. Battonnage was applied monthly only during the first 2 months. Racked out of barrel after 9 months, assembled and settled with a light bentonite fining and no filtration until bottling at the beginning of December 2016.

With strong influence of Alex Dale’s upbringing in Burgundy, the making of this Chardonnay is also adapted to our particular conditions in this ocean-facing part of the Cape – our mineral geology and temperate maritime climate both lending much to the equation. Restraining acidity, citrus flavours and integrated oaking, the introverted side of its character; ripeness and great persistence on the palate the more expansive side. Genuinely mineral, with a crisp lime-citrus edge and an elegant yet intense durability. A Chardonnay striving to be individual, focused on backbone not butter.

100% Chardonnay

All grapes used in producing our wines are grown on Keermont Vineyards. Most of the vineyard parcels grow on deep red clay rich soil derived from sandstone and granite and are surrounded by indigenous vegetation. They lie between 250 and 400 metres above sea level at the top of the valley between the Stellenbosch and Helderberg mountain ranges and have a variety of aspects from North East to West facing. Small batches of grapes are specifically selected according to ripeness, harvested by hand and vinified separately. This process is carried out gently with minimal intervention in open top fermenters using traditional methods only. This wine spent 20 months maturing in seasoned French oak barrels before being bottled by hand without filtration on 30 November 2018. A total of 11171 bottles (930 cases) were produced. 

Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec

In her own words “Aslina is the realization of a dream for South Africa’s first black woman winemaker”. From humble beginnings in the Kwa-Zulu Natal Ntsiki Biyela has smashed through the glass ceiling in the traditionally male dominated industry. She was working as a domestic worker after finishing school when she received a bursary to study Viticulture at the University of Stellenbosch as a result of her ability in the field of science. She dived into the opportunity and worked her way up the ranks, spending 13 years at Stellekaya (which means Home of the Stars) before launching her own label, Aslina, in 2016. The label is dedicated to Ntsiki’s grandmother, who was her greatest influence instilling in her strength and determination.

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet franc and petit Verdot. Umsasane being an umbrella tree, grandmother’s nickname. As umbrella tree gives shade and protect what is under it, so as grandmother’s characters to all who were near her. The bold structure, smoothness and complexity of this wine relates to the characters of Aslina, as the matriarch of the family.

Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot

An isolated vineyard in MALGAS near the mouth of the Breede River – called Sijnn by the original Khoisan inhabitants. Perched on a plateau of slate and rolled stones, about 15km from the southern oceans of Africa. Wine made by on-site winemaker Charla Haasbroek.

SIJNN LOW PROFILE 2018

“Low Profile” refers to the 200+ profile holes we dug to determine the best sites to plant our vines, as well as our modest approach to all we do! 2018 was the first year where we added a component of Syrah from Cape Agulhas.

VINEYARD

The complex stony soils, together with a warm dry climate (350mm) moderated by constant sea breezes provides an ideal terroir to produce something unique. Most of the soils have about 60mm round pudding stones on the surface with weathered schist in the subsoil. All vines are grown as bush vines due to the exceptional low yield and vigour, from the 11 and 12 year old vines. This selection was mostly from the lower lying vineyards with slightly more loamy, weathered schist soils. Yield: 3 ton/ha (22 hl/ha)

VINTAGE CONDITIONS

A vintage similar to 2017, with good growth and little problems. We had ideal weather at the beginning of the ripening season with a little rain on occasions. The moderate weather with cool nights continued throughout the harvest period producing wines with excellent acidity. A smaller sized crop of great quality.

PRODUCTION

Handpicked and carefully sorted in small crates in the cool mornings. Destemming and gentle crushing directly into small open top tanks and oak vats. Spontaneous natural yeast fermentation.

Time on the skins 5 – 7 days, with caps of the skins punched down (pigeage) 2 to 3 times a day. Single pressing in traditional basket press and malolactic fermentation in barrels. Maturation in older French oak barrels for 20 months, with several rackings to gradually clarify the wine. The wine was bottled by hand, unfined and unfiltered.

Syrah, Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvèdre