The Tangram White Blend

Both the Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon were handpicked at optimum ripeness in the early morning. The grapes were crushed and allowed to cold settle for three days, with lees stirring once a day. The clean juice was racked to a stainless-steel fermentation tank and inoculated with a selected yeast strain. The first 5˚B of fermentation was done in tank and thereafter transferred to barrels to complete fermentation.

The growing season began with a relatively mild and dry winter which stood the vineyards in good stead for an early budburst and flowering. However, a cold, wet summer then set in and ripening slowed as a result. The Sauvignon Blanc grapes were selected from four different blocks on southern and eastern slopes with deep, red soils. The soils have very good water-holding capacity to prevent stress in dry conditions. The low bearing, 35-year-old bush vines produce beautifully balanced fruit with mineral flavours accompanied by the younger, higher slope vines with tropical fruit, kept cool by the cool Atlantic and False Bay sea breeze. The two 18-year-old trellised vineyards higher up on the hill supplied the more typical fruity aromas. At a height of 180 to 200 meters above sea, they are exposed to the cool southeasterly breezes blowing in from nearby False Bay. The Semillon block was planted in 1996 in the cool heart of the valley, where the vines are known to contribute to the fullness of the palate. Satellite technology was used to identify the premium spots in each block. Only grapes from these spots were harvested and used to make this wine. The decision on when to pick was made by regularly tasting the grapes to establish the ripening profile and prevent overly fruity grapes to enable complexity rather than mere fruitiness. To safeguard gentle handling of the grapes during harvest, the winemakers hand-selected a dedicated team that picked the grapes, ensuring a careful selection of the best fruit in the vineyard.

The winemakers selected a combination of new and old French oak barrels; focusing on three sizes, namely 300 litre, 500 litre and 600 litres to mature the wine for a further 10 months to ensure a better extraction of the flavours and overall complexity. During maturation the wine was regularly stirred to add complexity to the blend. After maturation, the winemaking team spent a number of days selecting the best barrels to create the perfect blend.