Wine of the week - Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc Noble Late Harvest

VITICULTURAL PRACTICES

Name of Wine                                             Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc Noble Late Harvest 2007

Varietal                     Sauvignon Blanc

Area                          Stellenbosch

Soil Type                         Various

Age of vines                    Various

Trellising                          Various

Vine Density               Various

Yield                                    Various

Irrigation                            Various

Picking date                    25 April 2007

Grape Sugar                   42 - 45 °B at harvest

Acidity                                7.58 g/l at harvest

pH at harvest                   3.79

Total production         4420 x 500ml bottles

WINEMAKING PRACTICES

Fermentation temperature                    18 – 30°C

Method

The grapes were hand picked and allowed skin contact with enzyme overnight before being pressed.  A very long press cycle was followed.  The juice was cold settled for two days and then racked to French oak barriques with three percent of the lees.  After four days the wine started spontaneous fermentation.  The wine underwent no malolactic fermentation and was left on the gross lees for six months.  After barrel maturation the wine was lightly fined, filtered and then bottled.

Wood ageing                            100% new French oak barrels (225ℓ) for six months.         

                                                     

WINE DETAILS

Residual Sugar            150.6 g/l           Extract             199.2 g/l           pH                    3.48

Alcohol                        12.97 %            Total Acid        8.8 g/l               Free SO2          21 mg/l

Total SO2                     213 mg/l

Maturation potential                 Although drinking superbly now, it will continue to develop further

in the bottle over the next 12 years.

TASTING NOTES

Glistening gold, gentle tropical honey and pineapple nose.  Flavoursome mouthful, ripe fruit and an orange zest.  Intense sweetness braced by zesty acid and low alcohol.  Hard to resist young, it gains complexity for up to twelve years.

SUGGESTED FOOD COMBINATIONS

Marry with mixed berries and cardamom cream; crème caramel;  peeled pear or petit fours.  Ideal with duck liver paté, fresh fruit or to linger after a meal.