Discover Hemelrand Vine Garden, a truly remarkable white field blend that captures the essence of its unique vineyard with every vintage. The philosophy behind this wine is simple: to bottle the vineyard’s character as it naturally unfolds, allowing the proportions of different grapes to change each year based on vintage conditions. The result is a wine that consistently expresses its single origin through a dynamic interplay of varieties, a testament to the season’s influence. As the vines mature, this wine continues to gain in stature and complexity.
This special vineyard is located on the cold and windy Hemel & Aarde Ridge, sitting at 360 meters above sea level. Its soils, a mix of gravelly clay and sandstone, provide a challenging yet rewarding environment. Planted in 2010, the vineyard is home to a diverse array of white grape varieties: Chardonnay, Roussanne, Verdelho, Chenin Blanc, and Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains. As intended, the blend’s exact composition varies annually. This marginal site naturally leads to slow ripening and high natural acidity, which are hallmarks of the wine’s quality.
The winemaking process for Hemelrand Vine Garden is meticulous and respectful of the fruit. Grapes are hand-picked early in the morning, sorted directly in the vineyard, and whole-bunch pressed. The juice is then very lightly settled, maintaining its preferred cloudy, raw state, with no additions. Wild fermentation unfolds in old barrels of various sizes, typically lasting around two months. The wine spends approximately 12 months on lees, followed by a further six-month rest in tank on fine lees, without fining, before bottling. This simple, careful approach ensures the vineyard’s voice shines through.
The 2024 vintage presents a high-energy, exotic nose of musky apricot and talcum, complemented by fresh apple and lime. On the palate, the attack is reminiscent of stony mineral water, swiftly transitioning into a mouth-filling texture with tense, tart acidity. This is a lovely Hemelrand wine, offering a near-perfect representation of its distinctive site.
Varieties: 32% Roussanne; 28% Chardonnay; 25% Chenin Blanc; 11% Verdelho; 4% Muscat
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