| 2008-08-19 16:47 |
TASTING NOTES Distinct bright yellow hue; rich bouquet. Waxy, honeyed with flinty tangerine. Rich mouth-feel and layers of tropical flavours, apricot, and some marmelade. The delicate yet firm smokey, oaky flavour expanding in the mouth. Fairly sweet and full; lovely texture and good length and balance. IN THE VINEYARD The botrytised grapes were hand-picked in the early morning from old bush vines in a morning early in April and where careful bunch selection were done in the vineyard. The yields were 2,0 (8hl/ha) tons per hectare with acids above 9,3g/l and pH’s generally below 3,2. A total of 5966 x 375ml were made. IN THE CELLAR The grapes were lightly crushed and the juice was allowed to settle overnight. New French barriques were filled and allowed to ferment with the natural yeast, using the indigenous microflora on the grapes. Fermentation took place in a 14ºC cellar but actual fermentation temperatures were not monitored. Rudera Chenin blanc Noble Late Harvest was finished with fermentation two months later and was sterile filtered before being bottled. AGEING POTENTIAL This wine will develop over the next 5 years to gain complexity and true Chenin blanc character. BLEND INFORMATION 100% Chenin Blanc ACCOLADES The Rudera Chenin Blanc Noble Late Harvest 2003 scored an impressive 92/100 in the May 2004 issue of Wine Spectator. In the 2003 Rendez-vous du Chenin the Noble Late Harvest 2002 was the only non-French wine in the sweet wine category. This wine were rated a gold at the Basil International Wine Fair. The 2005 Platter Guide rated it ****(*). |