The Pledge Our Old Vine 2023
TASTING NOTES
This light-golden Chenin Blanc has lively aromas of fresh pineapple, elderflower and lightly roasted almonds. An alluring bouquet of honeysuckle is complemented by hints of minerality. The mid-palate has a charming richness to it with a tail of minerality and an array of white stone fruit lingering towards the finish.
VINEYARDS
This 1.76 ha Old Vine vineyard was planted in 1983 on decomposed granite in a E-W row direction. The duplex soil contains gravel and sand with clay underneath. Drip irrigation helps for stress relief during pre- and post-harvest and to preserve flavours and aromas. Low yields of 6-7 tons per hectare are obtained. Grapes were harvested on the 21st of February 2024.
WINEMAKING
Handpicked grapes. Overnight skin contact in the press, which allows the few raisin-berries to swell, contributing to honey suckle aromas. After two days of settling, the juice was split in half. Fermenting in two stainless-steel tanks, using two different selected yeast strains. After fermentation, the two batches were consolidated and taken to a combination of 300L and 400L French oak barrels (with a blonde to medium light toasting) as well as two 500L Amphoras. No malolactic conversion occurred to preserve the freshness of the wine. Only the best barrels were selected and blended with the two Amphoras, to ensure that the rich layers of the Old Vine fruit are carried by the minerality of the Amphoras.
9 Months maturation in 21% First Fill, 61% Third Fill and 18% Amphora
