Blanc de Mer

A wine for all seasons! Ideally suited to summer salads, salmon, sushi, oysters and white cheese.

Vintage 2018 commenced on the 8th February. Fruit quality proved to be excel- lent and cropping levels were encouraging, this in spite of drought conditions being the talk of the day. Fortunately our Hemel-en-Aarde region is blessed with a distinctive micro-climate which defied the predictors of poor expectations. The few rain showers received during the vintage was a positive experience and added to the calibre of the vintage.

The Riesling grape offers a solid frame to this blend where its content is 65% of the cuvée. This noble white wine variety is an unusual contribution to a Cape white blend, but it does assist in establishing a singular personality to the wine. Add to this a 16% Viognier component and its exclusivity profile is further enhanced. These two diverse elements are married with 18% Chardonnay. The grapes were lightly pressed and clear juice was fermented cold, where the eventual wine was left to evolve on the primary lees until blended and prepared for bottling.

One of South Africa’s most awarded boutique wine estates lies in a scenic valley just an hour and a half from Cape Town called Hemel-en-Aarde or Heaven-and-Earth. Framed by great fold mountains and breath-taking ocean views it is one of the coolest wine-making regions in the Cape with duplex soil structures and sun-facing slopes. The promise of the unique terroir is harnessed by winemaker Chris Albrecht in slow-ripened flavour-rich wines of exceptional quality. Bouchard Finlayson is globally acclaimed for producing the best Pinot Noir in South Africa as well as exceptional Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs. The vineyards are surrounded by an indigenous floral conservancy alive with birdsong and wildflowers. Beyond the beauty of the farm itself you can discover the enchantments of the local area. Some of the popular attractions of nearby Hermanus include whale-watching; shark-cage diving; mountain hiking or biking; browsing art antiques and shops; and of course the white sandy beaches.