2018 Olifantsberg Blanc

Olifantsberg Family Vineyards is less than an hour's drive from Cape Town, in the middle of South Africa's Breedekloof wine region. This small, five-hectare wine estate has been owned by the Dutch Leeuwerik family since 2003. The vineyards of Olifantsberg lie on the slopes of the Brandwacht Mountains. Thanks to the high altitude and the almost constantly blowing wind, there is a cool microclimate. Ideal conditions for the production of top quality grapes! The vineyard is worked with respect for nature. The vines are fertilized organically and the yield in the vineyard is deliberately kept low. All this with the aim of harvesting optimally ripe, healthy and concentrated grapes of high quality. After the manual harvest, these grapes are taken to the newly built vinification cellar. Here too, winemaker Jacques de Plessis lets nature do its work. After crushing the grapes, a traditional soaking of skins follows and the grapes are fermented. After this they are aged in oak barrels on its own lees, about a third of which is renewed annually. The wines of Olifantsberg are therefore perfectly balanced with beautiful, very dosed oak in aroma and taste.

This Estate white wine from the Olifantsberg winery is a blend of the most recently planted vineyards. The Olifantsberg estate contains almost exclusively grape varieties such as those found in the northern and southern Rhône. The wine consists of Chardonnay 59%, Roussanne 23%, Grenache blanc 9% and Chenin blanc 9% The Olifantsberg Blanc is naturally fermented on its own yeasts in 500L and 300L g oak barrels and matured on its own lees (sur lie) for 10 months. It should come as no surprise that this white wine has Rhône-like features, but here too the slate terroir gives the white wine just that little bit of extra minerality.

In the glass, this Olifantsberg Blanc is bright yellow in color and the aromas contain mainly white flowers, a bit nutty and just a pinch of wood. In the mouth the wine is harmonious, slightly spicy and mineral. Nice tannins and a pleasant bitterness in the aftertaste. This white is an absolute must and is a very nice glass of wine for the price. The Olifantsberg Blanc is a wine that will become even more beautiful with aging.

5 stars in Platter; 95 Atkinson points