Wine Waterkloof, Circle Of Life White, 2013
The Circle of Life White blend leads the way forward with innovative, biodynamic wines. By allowing nature to express itself here, the wines exhibit great acidity, complexity, body and structure. This award-winning white combines all the perfect elements one expects in a quality wine.
Characteristics
Wine Style:
White - A unique take on Sauvignon Blanc as the wine is rather full-bodied and oaked. It is well balanced with acidity and various fruit flavors.
Tasting Notes:
The Sauvignon Blanc aromas are prominent on the nose, with beautiful lime and prickly pear notes showing off. Intense flavours, with great balance. A tight mineral core and creamy mid-palate from the Chenin Blanc allow for great complexity and a persistent finish. The Sauvignon Blanc lends lovely, fresh acidity to the wine.
Gastronomy:
Delicious on its own and pairs fantastically with snacks, fish, seafood, aged cheese and Asian cuisine.
Vineyards:
Circle of Life tells the story of Waterkloof: A once conventionally farmed vineyard with great potential, that -since Paul Boutinot took over the property- has been transformed into a living, breathing organic and biodynamic vineyard by Farm Manager Christiaan Loots and his team.
Winemaking process:
Bunches are picked early in the mornings, when they are still cool, which helps to preserve the flavours. Extracting juice from the grapes is achieved through whole-bunch pressing. This is the most delicate way to extract the juice. After a settling period of 24 hours, a large proportion of the juice was destined for cold-fermentation. We determined a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc prior to fermentation which went into old 600-litre barrels. Ultimately, this allowed for a better integrated and more complete end product. After a very long, natural yeast fermentation of six months, the wine was left on the primary lees for an extended period before bottling. This helped to add more complexity and weight to the palate. The wine was then racked to the fermentation tanks and the final blend was made up, with the addition of extra Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc. The wine then undergoes an extended period of ageing in bottle before release. We produce the wine as naturally as possible, with no additions of acids or enzymes allowed. The final blend was 72% Sauvignon Blanc and 28% Chenin Blanc.
Interesting notes:
Our Circle of Life 2013 has been awarded the highest rating of five stars in the 2016 edition of Platter’s South African Wine Guide, announced at a private launch ceremony in Cape Town. - Waterkloof Estate.
