The Grapesmith Die Kluisenaar

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Roussanne grapes: Whole bunch pressed early the next morning and only the most gentle pressing was done to yield delicate juice with refined flavours. Some barrels were naturally fermented and the balance was inoculated to compare the results. The fermentation is quite warm to allow the yeast to make lots of glycerol. Barrels were between 7 and 12 years old. Marsanne grapes: Whole bunch pressed early the next morning and the settled juice taken directly to barrel for a spontaneous fermentation utilising the yeast strains naturally occurring on the berries. Minimal interference was done to the wine in barrel, apart from stirring of the lees and topping up.

Roussanne grapes are harvested on 10 March 2016 from a vineyard high up on the cool South West facing slopes of Simonsberg and cooled overnight in picking crates. Marsanne grapes are Harvested on 2 February 2016 at 21.4 Balling from a cool site overlooking False Bay, the grapes were cooled down overnight to 5°Celsius.

It spent a total of 12 months on the primary lees with occasional battonage to stir up the lees. No MLF was allowed and after a light filtration the blend was bottled in April 2017.