af Riesling 2012
“Lekker rustig was the 2012 harvest, a late start and it seemed none of the grapes were in a hurry. A moderate summer, with a few small heatwaves, that were nullified by our cool Durbanville nights.Sauvignon blanc – lovely low alcohols, gorgeous pyroxene and thiols. First harvest of Riesling from Nitida grapes.The longest ever hanging times for reds, means great flavour development. Merlot is gorgeous & the Cabernet Sauvignon just divine, very excited about this wine, used thermo vinification for the first time. Chandre ( CWG protégé) was RJ’s right hand during harvest.The Cape Epic, SPCA Woefie Wandel & our own valley’s Feast of the grape, meant lots of visitors on the farm during harvest.”
Tasting Notes
Begs a charcuterie feast but will cohabit easily with many foods whether savoury or sweet. Gentle rosewater and must encounters pomegranate, frangipani, limes and a mouthful of juicy pears with Jamon Serrano.
Winemaker Comments
This is the third time we have made a Riesling at Nitida, but this year we harvested from our own grapes (planted 2008). Considering the wonderful Rieslings that are produced in cooler areas of the world, we believe that there is a great future for this cultivar in South Africa and certainly in Durbanville. RJ reduced the crop from 8 to 4 tons per hectare as he did not want to stress our young vines too much. We picked grapes at 20 degrees balling in early Feburary and, after cooling them in a refrigerated container to achieve optimal temperature, the juice was clarified and then fermented at 12 degrees celcius to enhance the delicate aromas of Riesling. This wine was made totally reductively, and the end result is a beautifully delicate wine showing a our preferred softer side of the cultivar. A low PH and high acidities lends to an aging potential of 15-20 years.
