Complex and waxy with a bit of age on it. Layered aromas of pineapple, mandarin and orange . Fresh and earthy palate with a creamy vibrant texture, smooth, round finish. A very good example of how white wine can age beautifully.
It turned out this was a wine that was made and bottled but was never released for export because it wasn't deemed to be ready. And so to the back of the Mentors Cellar it went, forgotten about until Izele, the winemaker rediscovered it late last year. A few years later and it is now absolutely ready and drinking beautifully. We've been lucky enough to get our hands on a few cases - so grab it and enjoy drinking it while you can!
Country: South Africa
Region: Paarl
Grapes: Semillon
ABV: 13.5%
Grapes were handpicked in the vineyards and only individually selected grapes were harvested at maximum flavour intensity. The grapes were hand sorted in the KWV Mentors cellar. Destemming and crushing was followed by 2 hours of skin contact. The juice was settled for 48 hours, racked and then inoculated with yeast.
A portion of the wine was barrel fermented to add richness and complexity. The remaining components were fermented in tank at low temperatures to allow for maximum fruit and varietal expression. The wine was left on the lees for 6 weeks with batonage once a week before being racked, filtered and bottled.
