Forgotten Cultivars Case

Both components were naturally fermented in 600 litre French oak barrels. The Chenin is from an old, low-yielding Franschhoek vineyard planted in 1982 (67%). This brings freshness and tightness to the blend, the old vines also bring Wildeberg’s hallmark texture. The Grenache Blanc is from vibrant, younger plantings Paarl (33%), adding body and structure with this cultivars naturally exotic notes of jasmine and white spice. 67% 2nd fill and 33% 3rd fill barrels.

Wildeberg’s rationale is to source the finest vineyards available to us across Franschhoek and the Coastal Region, from which cuvées the eyes are plucked to make Wildeberg and the Terroir Series releases. In doing so there remains a small yet definitive expression of all the vineyards we worked with, and its these cuvees that are again selected to go into Coterie by Wildeberg. Chenin and Grenache Blanc really complement each other very well. Both varietals love the Coastal Region’s arid soils and Mediterranean climate due to their inherent tolerance to drought.

Naturally fermented.

A brew of Old Vine Vineyards planted in 1977, Grenache Gris, and Marsanne.

Barrel matured for 9 months in 600 litre French oak barrels.

Brought to Wildeberg where roughly 30% of the fruit is carbonically macerated due to some whole bunch material in the press. The juice is then allowed to ferment naturally in older French oak. A natural wine with no fining or filtration and very low sulphur levels.

28 year old, dry grown bush vine Cinsault from organically farmed blocks.

All the components come from dryland vines with deep root systems. Each varietal and origin brings something unique to the blend: The Grenache dominates giving freshness, bright red fruits and juiciness; whilst Paarl Mourvèdre brings the whole blend together rounding it off and providing structure and complexity.

Both cultivars are fermented whole bunch, with some whole berry fruit, there is no crush, just a daily pump over during the natural fermentation. We want to express place over cultivar so this slow, gentle extraction gives wines truer of origin than winery.

Wildeberg’s rationale is to source the finest vineyards available to us across Franschhoek and the Coastal Region, from which cuvées the eyes are plucked to make Wildeberg and the Terroir Series releases. In doing so there remains a small yet definitive expression of all the vineyards we worked with, and its these cuvees that are again selected to go into Coterie by Wildeberg. All fruit is hand harvested in February from selected sites in Franschhoek and Paarl.

The components are racked to French and Austrian oak, new and old, for 10 months before the blend is decided. This blend is then allowed to marry for 6 weeks prior to coarse filtration and bottling on the farm.

Fruit from trellised blocks on the Agter-Paarl’s soils of sandy loams threaded with granite seams. Petite Sirah is also known as Durif, from Syrah pollen crossed with Peloursin in France in the 1880s, and named with immeasurable modesty by the inventor himself, François Durif. The “petite” refers to the tight bunches of small, dark berries whose high skin-to-juice ratio naturally gives a dark wine of structure. In Paarl’s warm, dry climate we achieve colour and therefore structure with ease so we choose 100% carbonic maceration and whole berry, no stems, to express the sense of place rather than just the cultivar.