Gabrielskloof Amphora Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Gabrielskloof Amphora Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Cape South Coast, South Africa
Vintage: 2024
Bottle size: 75cl
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
ABV: 13.5%
An atypical Sauvignon Blanc, this is textured and complex with aromas of white pear and yellow peach, as well as hints of blackcurrant leaf and smoke on the nose. The palate is silky and layered with mouth-watering acidity and notes of grapefruit rind, salted almond and wet stone.
The fruit for this wine comes from two sources. 66% comes from the Gabriëlskloof farm located in the Bot River ward, where prevailing southerly winds from the nearby Atlantic Ocean create a cool mesoclimate. This results in a longer growing season and encourages slower ripening and increased flavour development, while retaining fresh acidity. The remaining 34% is sourced from two vineyards in Olifantsrivier. The sites’ high altitude and dry climate combine to produce aromatic Sauvignon Blanc with both superb acidity and concentration.
The Sauvignon Blanc grapes were whole bunch pressed and fermented using indigenous yeast in locally-made clay amphorae ranging from 500 to 860L. The surface is porous, with no lining inside, allowing for light micro-oxidation during the maturation process and enhancing the wine’s mouthfeel. The wine was aged in the clay amphorae for seven months on gross lees without any additions and only minimal SO2 addition just prior to bottling.
Gabriëlskloof is a beautiful wine estate located near Bot River in the Overberg region east of Cape Town. It was purchased in 2001 by Bernhard Heyns, who had been on the lookout for the ideal place to plant vines. The talented Peter-Allan Finlayson of Crystallum, Bernhard’s son in law, took over as winemaker from the 2015 vintage. Peter-Allan is now Cellar Master and oversees general management of the property, while the young and no less talented Nina Muller was promoted to winemaker. The farm has 178 hectares, with 68 hectares planted with vines. The climate is cool with maritime influences coming from Walker Bay. The vineyards are farmed sustainably with the support of fulltime vineyard consultant Rosa Kruger. Their aim is to move to organic farming in the future.
https://gabrielskloof.co.za