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Working with nature allows us to experience its natural cycle every year. Vines awaken from their rest in spring, growing and roducing fruit until the next winter when they go to sleep again. |
Chardonnay |
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| Description: | We selected vineyards in the Robertson area for this wine. Chardonnay has over the years become synonymous with the Robertson area. Vineyards from the chalky Robertson soils tend to produce wines with good concentration and minerality, which is very important to us. |
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| Tasting: | Rich aromas of lime, mingled with peach. Nicely balanced with a degree of minerality at the core. Serve with roast chicken, pasta and creamy sauce or grilled tiger prawns. Alcohol 13.5% vol. |
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Chenin blanc |
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| Description: | Cheninblanc, regarded as the workhorse of the South African wine industry, accounts for the bulk of our generic white wines. There are, however, some gems in between the mass of Cheninblanc vineyards. Our goal is to identify these gems and allow them to express themselves in the False Bay Cheninblanc. We focus on areas that have long stood out for producing great Cheninblanc wines, like Paardeberg and Riebeek. Old bush-vine vineyards have over time found their natural balance and ultimately it shows in the wines. Picking early in the morning, we de-stemmed the grapes before separating the juice from the skins. The free run juice was separated from the skins immediately and allowed to settle at 12°C for 24 hours. No enzymes were used to aid the settling and the press juice was discarded. No cultured yeasts were used and fermentation took 20 weeks. The wine was left on the secondary lees for another month before bottling. |
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| Tasting: | Pear drop and honey flavours, aided by concentration from older low yielding vineyards. Good length due to the long natural fermentation process. Medium bodied. A versatile wine equally well suited to partner lobster and other seafood, risotto or roast chicken. Alcohol 14.0% vol |
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Sauvignon blancJohn Platter Guide - "Outstanding" |
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| Description: | Our production areas include sites in the Perdeberg, Durbanville and the Helderberg (Stellenbosch) which provide our wine with its delicious flavours and crisp acidity. These vineyards allow for slower ripening, a greater natural concentration of flavours and long finish. Depending on the slopes and the fertility of the soils in these cooler areas, flavour profiles can range from the more tropical gooseberry and lychee to racy green pepper, or even herbaceous asparagus. We selected those vineyards that steered away from the herbaceous character, which we associate with over-vigorous soils. Although further from the coast, the whole of Table Bay is visible from the Paardeberg vineyard we use.2008/09: Very good rains during the winter ensured that soil retained enough moisture to sustain the vines; the long growing season ensured that grapes had a high natural acidity and lots of flavour. |
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| Tasting: | Typical cool climate racy green pepper aromas form the backbone of the wine, but the inclusion of fruit from slightly warmer areas also allows for an interesting underlay of tropical/floral flesh. A good example of crisp acidity balanced with quite a bit more than just the typical green flavours from a cool climate area, making it more fruit friendly and versatile. Perfect with a host of Mediterranean dishes. | |||
Rosé |
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| Description: | After much debate and numerous requests from customers, we finally decided to produce a rosé for the False Bay range. We generally prefer Rhône varietals for making rosé, so the search was on to find vineyards that would accomplish our goal. Old Cinsaut vineyards in the Stellenbosch area clinched the deal and a small portion of Mourvèdre from the Paarl region adds to the complexity of this wine. 2008/09: Winter lasted well into September 2008. Then a long, cool growing season ensured that the grapes had a high natural acidity and lots of flavour. |
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| Tasting: | A delicately spiced rosé with summer fruit on the palate, perfect with Mediterranean dishes and seafood, or on its own. Alcohol 13.5% vol. |
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Shiraz |
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| Description: | As part of our commitment to quality and consistency, vineyards for the False Bay wines are selected from areas where, we believe, the specific cultivar is best suited. Vineyards selected for False Bay Shiraz are situated in the Paarl and Malmesbury areas. We prefer to select mainly bush vine vineyards which are cultivated under dry-land conditions or receive at best one irrigation during the growing season. This ensures that the vigorous growth of Shiraz is kept in check and produces wonderfully concentrated fruit. The soils are mainly Malmesbury Shale. 2008/09: Much needed winter rain and cold weather was followed by a cool, wet spring but higher than normal disease pressure. Cloudy periods during flowering resulted in irregular set. Bunches were loose and the berries small, which allowed for the berries to colour evenly. The cool weather during spring followed through into the early parts of summer, which allowed for even ripening with very little water stress. |
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| Tasting: | Full, yet elegant, with bramble fruit aromas, cassis and black cherry flavours on the palate and a touch of white pepper spice (more in the northern Rhône mould than Barossa brawn). Structure provided by fine tannins with a long, rich, ripe finish. A moderately woody Northern Rhône style with soft gripping tannins that invites food. Ideal with spicy dishes and red meats. Alcohol 14.0% vol. |
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Pinotage |
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| Description: | Extensive experience in working with the Pinotage grape provided us with the knowledge to bring out the best in the varietal by working with low yielding, old, untrellised bush vines. This seems to change a grape that is more beast than beauty, into something quite special. Those stunted plantings that look like twisted bonsai, proved to have the stuff of greatness. Fruit so dense that it needs the tough love of open fermenters to dispel the volatile esters. This wine was the result of very small berries with a great degree of concentration. After several dry winters we had very good rains and cold weather then cool spring and early summer: positive for colour and structure. Despite a heat wave in late January, vineyards looked good and ripened properly and slowly. Native, wild yeast started the fermentation process to produce a smoky, plum and black fruit character. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks was allowed to start without the addition of cultured yeast at temperatures of 26-30°C. No press juice was added to the wine. The wine was aged a large oak vats, which tempers the Pinotage tannins and adds more complexity. |
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| Tasting: | Rich plum fruit and spice is balanced by fine tannins and refreshing acidity. Good complement to Cape Malay (i.e. spicy) dishes and beef casseroles. Alcohol 14,5% vol. |
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Circumstance - Sauvignon Blanc 2010 |
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| Description: | Circumstance Sauvignon blanc is produced from windswept southwest facing, low-yielding slopes of Schapenberg. Strong winds churn up the vineyards with regularity. This makes for low production and intense flavours. The vineyards are five kilometres from the sea, planted at 270-300m above sea level. The soils are of sandstone origin with medium-sized stones, helping with drainage, while retaining moisture. The vines’ average age is 11 years. Production was approximately 4 t/ha. 2009/10 The 2009/10 vintage was one of the most difficult in years. Strong winds and rainstorms at the end of October which created havoc right through the season, blowing off shoots and reducing the yield significantly. Cool weather prevailed through spring and into late February 2010 and had a positive influence on grape quality. Wine-making: The winemaking philosophy is the same for all our premium white wines from Waterkloof. A traditional, minimalist approach means that we interfere as little as possible with the winemaking process. It allows flavours prevalent in that specific vineyard to be expressed. To achieve this goal, all grapes are whole-bunch pressed, ensuring that we extract the juice in the gentlest way possible. The juice is then allowed to settle for 24 hours. Yeast occurring naturally on the grapes is allowed to ferment the juice. No yeasts are added. Fermentation takes place at temperatures of 18 to 20°C. |
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| Tasting: | Flavours of lime and dill dominate on the nose. The weight and concentration on the mid-palate is balanced by the tight, mineral finish. Alcohol 13.5% vol |
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Circumstance - Cape Coral Mourvedre 2010 |
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| Description: | Circumstance Cape Coral Mourvèdre is produced from grapes purchased in the Stellenbosch wine growing region, with its relatively mild winters and long hot summers. Vines are cultivated under dry conditions. Planted in cool, deep red soils which provide adequate moisture for this late ripening variety, vines can slowly ripen the grapes during the growing season. 2010/11 One of the most dry and windy growing seasons on record in the Schapenberg area. May and June was very cold and vines could accumulate enough cold units for effective budburst. Rainfall for the winter months was well below average. The dry weather continued into spring and summer with very little rainfall measured from middle November. The dry, windy conditions kept production levels on all varietals very low. Berries were very small with thick skins. Acidity levels were also very low due to the dry, hot summer and grapes were harvested about a week to two weeks earlier than normal. Wine-making: Grapes were hand harvested and gentle whole-bunch pressing extracted only the best juice. No further maceration was allowed. Naturally occurring yeast fermented the juice at temperatures of 16 to 18°C, over four months. The wine remained on the primary lees for another month to add further complexity before bottling. |
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| Tasting: | Pale, salmon colour. Delicate flavours of spice and herbs. Gentle and smooth with great persistence and a dry finish. Fantastic food companion; natural partner for seafood and even Thai dishes. Alcohol 13.0% vol |
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Circle of Life - White 2010 |
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| Description: | Working with nature allows us to experience its natural cycle every year. This cycle is also evident through the biodynamic practices that we follow at Waterkloof. Rather than following a certain style, for example a Bordeaux blend, we blended a wine that we feel represents the totality of Waterkloof. Circle of Life is not a wine driven by varietal or a specific vineyard, but one that reflects the totality, philosophy and specificity of Waterkloof. 2009/10 The 2009/10 season was difficult with winds of up to 120 km/h and rainstorms at the end of October (spring). Wind created havoc throughout the season, blowing off shoots and reducing the yield significantly. Cool weather prevailed through spring and into late February 2010 and had a positive influence on grape quality. Wine-making: By tasting the grapes we can determine optimum flavour development. Grapes are picked early in the morning. Gentle whole-bunch pressing. Naturally occurring yeast drives fermentation. 60% of the grapes were fermented in old 600l barrels. Wine remained on the primary lees up to bottling in early February 2010 to add complexity and weight to the palate. |
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| Tasting: | Citrus and lemon flavours, with slight peachy notes on the nose. A tight mineral core and creamy middle palate allows for great complexity and a persistent finish. Alcohol 14.0% vol |
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Circle of Life - Red 2008 |
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| Description: | The winter of the 2007/08 season provided much needed rain and cold weather, and was followed by a cool, wet spring. The regular rains during spring and the early parts of the summer led to higher than normal disease pressure. We had to increase spraying to keep our vineyards free from disease. Cloudy periods during flowering resulted in irregular set. Bunches were loose and the berries were small, which allowed for even veraison. The cool spring continued into early summer, allowing us to pick the whites in cool conditions. Wine-making: Taste largely determines the optimum stage of flavour development. Grapes are picked early in the morning when they are still cool, which helps to preserve the flavours. Bordeaux varietals are generally de-stemmed and Rhône varietals, depending on the ripeness level of the stems, fermented as whole bunches. All our red wines are fermented in open top wooden fermenters and punched down a maximum of twice a day. The wine stays on the skins for 30 to 40 days before being pressed. All the wines are fermented naturally without the addition of cultivated yeast. |
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| Tasting: | A classically styled wine with notes of cassis and cedar. The seamless, elegant palate is encased in fine tannins. It is a wine that will increase in complexity with age. Alcohol 14.0% vol. Alcohol 14.0% vol |
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