Franschhoek Semillon

Rich fish (salmon, tuna etc), Shellfish, Sweet desserts, Poultry

The fruit for this vintage was picked from a venerable old vineyard in the Franschhoek valley. Planted in 1942 and 1962 on alluvial soils of decomposed Table Mountain sandstone, a portion – roughly 15 percent – of the bush vines have naturally mutated into Semillon Gris. Both variants were harvested and co-fermented to add further complexity to the wine. The vineyards were harvested by hand on 12 February 2019; the fruit picked at 21,6-23 ̊B before being chilled overnight at 8 ̊C.

Approximately one-third of the way through fermentation the grape must was transferred to second- and third-fill French oak barriques, for 11 months of sur lie barrel maturation. No lees stirring took place, and the prevention of malolactic fermentation ensured the wine retains its excellent natural acidity.

In the cellar whole clusters were sorted and pressed with a delicate champagne-cycle. No enzymes were added during pressing, and minimal sulphur was used throughout vinification. Settling occurred overnight, and spontaneous fermentation with naturally occurring yeasts took place in stainless steel tanks.

DAMASCENE is a partnership between Jean Smit and David Curl, former owner of Château Gaby in Canon-Fronsac, Bordeaux. What began as a conversation around making wine from the Pinot Noir planted on Curl’s Elgin estate swiftly revealed the pair’s shared passion for celebrating unsung pockets of South African terroir. Following the maxim of ‘Less cult, more cultivation’, the founding philosophy of DAMASCENE is simple, yet unyielding: that the journey to great wine can only begin in the vineyard. “DAMASCENE is about seeking out memorable vineyards and sites that truly showcase the incredible diversity of terroir we have here in the Western Cape,” says Smit. “I spend countless days on the road, covering thousands of kilometres, visiting vineyards and farmers in search of special parcels of land.”