Hidden Treasures 2024

We played with a bit of whole bunch pressing and keeping the wine as long as possible on its fine yeast lees, creating a big concentrated wine with a fantastic mouthfeel. The wine was allowed to undergo malo-lactic fermentation and was kept on its fine lees for 8 months

Our Semillon hails from the Glenwood farm, renowned for their Semillon grapes terroir in Franschhoek.

We decided not to age this batch in 3rd fill wood barrels, but rather in our stainless steel 1000L barrel tanks, with a special mix of ceramic & fire toasted premium French oak.

Selected grapes were handpicked at 24.5º Balling. Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barocca grapes were vinified separately in open fermenters until fermentation has stopped. Skins were then pressed and the wine was left to undergo malolactic fermentation in concrete tanks.

Portuguese varieties were planted in Calitzdorp during the early 1970’s with Tinta Barocca being the first to find its way to the Klein Karoo. The red clay soils and continental climate of Calitzdorp, very similar to that of the Douro valley in Portugal, is ideal for growing these unique varieties. All vines are micro irrigated on VSP trellising systems to ensure the best quality fruit possible.

After malolactic fermentation the wine was matured in new, 2nd, 3rd and 4th fill French Oak barrels for 12 months. After ageing, the best barrels were meticulously selected and the final blend was made from these barrels.

Grapes are picked at optimal ripeness in strict accordance with the vintage. In some cases, 24 Balling may be ultimate ripeness – in other vintages it may be awfully green. So, not only keeping the vineyards close to our hearts but also picking at optimal physiological ripeness allow us to capture the wide array of flavours this elegant grape produces. Grapes are crushed and allowed to cold soak for 1 day. It is fermented in open concrete tanks with regular punch downs of the cap for 7 days and finishes malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks.

The vines used for this wine are from 25 year old trellised vineyards with a South Eastern slope on our Helderberg property grown in coffee stone.

The wine is then matured in small 225 litre French oak barrels for 18 months.