2021 Waterkloof Circumstance Chenin Blanc
Type of Wine | |
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Country | |
Region | |
Appellation | Stellenbosch (Appellatie) |
Winery | |
Vintage | 2021 |
Grape | |
Content (Alc) | 0.75 ltr (13.5%) |
Drink window | 2023 - 2029 |
Description
Founded by the Frenchman Paul Boutinot, Waterkloof is located in the 'ward' Helderberg, within the Stellenbosch district. The vineyards are located a few kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean. Paul and his right-hand man, Christiaan Loots, work in an organic and biodynamic way and the vineyards are only entered with horses, no tractors. In just a few years, Waterkloof has built up a strong reputation.
Under the name Circumstance, he makes one of the very best South African Wooded Chenin Blancs. As the name suggests, it is a combination of circumstances that makes this wine so unique. It is made from old 'bush vines', planted near the sea, which gives you a long growing season with development of fine acids and minerals. A short barrel aging and very light filtering give this wine ripe citrus, peach, pear and honeysuckle, carried by a spicy freshness. The lightly toasted style and hints of warm brioche, butterscotch ('Werther's Echte') and butterscotch make the wine irresistibly delicious. For this premium wine, the bunches of grapes are pressed in their entirety and the must rests for 24 hours before it goes into 600 liter oak barrels. The fermentation is completed in about 6 months and Paul only uses 'wild yeast' for this. Acidification or de-acidification of the wine is not allowed. Only a light filtering is applied before bottling.
Specifications
Type of Wine | White |
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Country | South Africa |
Region | Stellenbosch |
Appellation | Stellenbosch (Appellatie) |
Winery | Waterkloof |
Grape | Chenin Blanc |
Biological certified | No |
Natural wine | No |
Vegan | No |
Vintage | 2021 |
Drinking as of | 2023 |
Drinking till | 2029 |
Alcohol % | 13.5 |
Alcohol free/low | No |
Content | 0.75 ltr |
Oak aging | Yes |
Sparkling | No |
Dessert wine | No |
Closure | Cork |
Promotion | Last bottles |
Tasting Profiles | Dry, Aged on wood, Tense, White fruit |
Drink moments | Barbecue, Cadeau!, Lekker luxe, Met vrienden, Open haard, Romantisch |
Wijnhuis
Founded by the Frenchman Paul Boutinot, Waterkloof is located in the 'ward' Helderberg, within the Stellenbosch district. The vineyards are located a few kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean. Paul and his right-hand man, Christiaan Loots, work in an organic and biodynamic way and the vineyards are only entered with horses, no tractors. In just a few years, Waterkloof has built up a strong reputation. When you enter the farm you will see the cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens and horses that we use for their manure, weed control and many other purposes. The soils are free of chemicals and are kept healthy by using plant extracts, fungi and bacteria from our own natural compost. By healthier soils we mean vines with roots that dig deeper than 5 meters, which really expresses the terroir.
These traditional methods, combined with a breezy southwest vineyard, make for a balanced and naturally low yielding vine that produces intense flavours. The vineyards are located about 5 kilometers from the sea and are planted at an altitude between 270 and 300 meters above sea level. The soils are of sandstone origin with medium sized stones, which aid in drainage and also moisture retention. The vineyards are on average 21 years old.
The winemaking philosophy is the same for all of Waterkloof's premium white wines. They follow a traditional, minimalistic approach, which means we interfere with the winemaking process as little as possible. This allows the flavors prevalent in that particular vineyard to be reflected in the wine. To achieve this, all grapes are harvested for taste, hand-picked, hand-sorted and finally pressed whole bunch in a modern press, so that they can extract the purest juice in the gentlest possible way. The juice is then naturally settled for 24 hours. Because no chemicals are sprayed into the vineyard, the wild yeast can be used to ferment the juice in used 600 liter oak barrels. This leads to a longer fermentation process with a slow release of aromas and a more textured palate. The natural fermentation process took 6 months, after which the wine is allowed to mature for another 2-4 months. No acid or enzymes are added during the winemaking process, with just light filtration and a small minimalistic addition of sulfur as a preservative prior to bottling.