Gabrielskloof Magdalena Semillon 2023
Gabriëlskloof Magdalena Semillon
Region: Cape South Coast, South Africa
Vintage: 2023
Bottle size: 75cl
Grape: Semillon
ABV: 13.5%
Rich yet finely balanced, Magdalena opens with aromas of bruised apple, chamomile and lime curd, lifted by subtle notes of ginger and fresh herbs. The palate is textured and expressive, showing yellow pear, quince and citrus peel, with a gentle honeyed depth from lees ageing. Bright acidity keeps the wine focused and poised, leading to a long, savoury finish that combines concentration with freshness.
Magdalena is made up of 90% old vine Semillion and 10% Sauvignon Blanc. The Semillon was sourced from low yielding, 47-year-old vines in Franschhoek, which add a textural dimension to the blend, as well as an even older vineyard (planted in 1972) in the Swartland, planted on decomposed Granite soils. The Sauvignon Blanc is from the Gabriëlskloof farm, where the vines are nearly 16 years old. The vines are planted on south-facing slopes with a combination of Table Mountain Sandstone and Bokkeveld Shales soils. The cool maritime climate of the farm results in naturally lower yields - typically six tonnes per hectare.
Once the fruit arrived at the winery, the grapes were whole bunch pressed and settled without the use of enzymes overnight. The must was racked into 400-500 litre used French oak barrels and underwent fermentation using indigenous yeasts. The wine then spent almost 12 months on its fine lees before being blended and bottled.
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