Seasalter

Shellfish, Vegetarian, Goat cheese

Vines planted: 2001. Soil: Hutton / Oakleaf. Yield: 7 t/ha. Irrigation: Supplementary. Trellising: 5 wire extended moveable perold. Elevation: 250m South Facing. The harvest was later than the last three vintages. This gave it longer time on the vines while the harvest was nicely spread out, especially for the Sauvignon Blanc. We received very little rain before and during the harvest. So no concerns around rot and other diseases. Cooler conditions especially during the evening also contributed to longer ripping time, therefore better fruit development.

In the tanks the wine was left after fermentation on the fine lees and with the barrels on the fermentation lees with occasional stirring. The wine was on the lees in and tank for four months before making the final blend.

Even with the cooler conditions we still did at the crushing of the Seasalter grapes early in the morning. We normally stop crushing this grapes by 10h00 in the morning. Most of the fermentation was done in stainless steel tanks. 21% of the final blend was fermented in 300L French barrels.

Groote Post has always been best known for its Sauvignon Blanc but in recent years its other wines notably Chardonnay Shiraz and Pinot Noir have gained greater recognition from wine competitions and its widespread client base alike. Although Groote Post wines have received a steady stream of accolades and awards since its maiden 1999 vintage co-owner Nick Pentz and winemaker Lukas Wentzel believe that the best has yet to come. While acknowledging that winemaking and particularly grape growing are a perpetual work in progress they are confident that they now have the building blocks in place for a more mature phase in its life cycle. This was amply illustrated during the long and challenging 2004 harvest that produced grapes with the desired physiological factors and phenolic ripeness resulting in complex wines showing intense fruit flavours. The Sauvignon Blancs are now showing consistency with the sought-after fruit to acid balance.