Monday 16 May 2011

Week 5: Mulderbosch Small Change Chenin Blanc

MULDERBOSCH SMALL CHANGE


VITICULTURAL PRACTICES

                                                                                     


 
Name of Wine                                                     Mulderbosch Small Change Chenin Blanc 2009
Varietal                                                                Chenin Blanc
Area                                                                      Stellenbosch
Soil Type                                                              Malmesbury shale, Glenrosa, Hutton
Age of vines                                                        55 – 64 years
Trellising                                                              Bush vines and Trellis
Vine Density                                                        3000vines/ha
Yield                                                                      6 tonnes per hectare
Irrigation                                                              Overhead and Drip
Picking date                                                         3 March 2009
Grape Sugar                                                         24.2 - 25
Acidity                                                                   6.19 g/l at harvest
pH at harvest                                                       3.35
Total production                                                 550  x 12

 

WINEMAKING PRACTICES

Fermentation temperature                  12 - 25°C
                                                                                    Method
This individual new-wave Chenin was made from low-crop Stellenbosch grapes.  The grapes were harvested in the early morning to ensure coolness; crushed and lightly pressed; after which the must was cold settled before being inoculated with a select yeast culture.  Forty five percent of the wine was tank fermented and forty five percent underwent natural fermentation in barrel. The wine was matured for six months in Hungarian oak barrels.  The wine was then slightly sweetened with ten percent Chenin Blanc Noble Late harvest, fined, sterile filtered and bottled.

Wood ageing
Forty five percent of the wine was fermented and matured for six months in new Hungarian oak.  The barrels were rolled once a month while the wine was kept on the lees.
                                                                 


 

 

WINE DETAILS

Residual Sugar                    14.54 g/l                  pH                           3.35
Alcohol                                  14.12 %                 Total Acid               6.48 g/l          
Free SO2                                35 mg/l                   Total SO2               123 mg/l

Maturation potential                                            Drink through 2010 - 2018

TASTING NOTES

Straw-yellow colour. A sensory assault on the nose of honeysuckle, jasmine, Galia melon, cape gooseberry (Physalis), red apple and Valencia orange peel. The palate pictures a steaming baked apple filled with raisins and cinnamon, dripping with honey and dotted with clove and Turkish apricot. A lively acid keeps the wine in check and its farewell is long and rewarding.

SUGGESTED FOOD COMBINATIONS

Serve at 12 – 15°C.  Partner with tuna steak, Indian roghan josh or Bobotie – South African/Malay dish of baked savoury mince served with saffron rice.

                                                        

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