ac Coronata 2008
“What an unforgettable harvest. Everything looked spectacular until it rained and didn’t stop leaving us with hectically low yields and a beautiful Noble Late Harvest Semillon – all this while dodging Eskom curve-balls. A harvest where teamwork and resolve were the hero’s of the day – making magic out of very difficult circumstances. We made and planted our first Riesling and and an especially lovely yummy Cabernet. To add to the fruitfulness for the year, Kerry and Chris were blessed with a small Genevieve.”
Tasting Notes
Summer blossom builds into creamy lanolin, full baked honey has zesty moments, and indulgent creme brulee lingers.
Winemaker Comments
49% semillon from 100% new French oak (fermented and aged for 8 weeks) with 51% tank fermented sauvignon blanc. Grapes were from specially earmarked blocks. This is the third year that we have mixed these 2 cultivars and again this year we put the completed blend into barrel for 6 months. This wine has been intentionally designed to evolve with both cultivars, and behaves a bit like a child - showing different aspects of its character at different times - it remains forever interesting. As it ages, the tight sauvignon blanc acids will remain firm but grow gentler while that dash of greenpepper freshness will always speak of its Nitida origins. The semillon character will deepen into a warm honey and become more dominant on the palate. Nitida Coronata is the culmination of many years of working with and observing the characteristics of sauvignon blanc and semillon from our area. Grape blocks were specially chosen in the vineyard for their cultivar character and kept separate throughout the process.
