Thorne & Daughters Paper Kite Swartland Semillon Blanc 2024

Thorne & Daughters Paper Kite Swartland Semillon Blanc

Region: Swartland, South Africa

Vintage: 2024

Bottle size: 75cl

Grape: Semillon

ABV: 13%

The 'Paper Kite' combines purity and freshness with savoury aromas of thyme, yellow plum, lemongrass and gunflint. The palate is full and rounded with silky texture and notes of almond, nougat, white peach and gooseberry, leading to a rich and energetic finish.

The Semillon grapes for the ‘Paper Kite’ are sourced from a single vineyard in the “Siebritskloof” (Siebret's Valley) on Swartland’s Paardeberg mountain. Sitting at 200 metres above sea level with easterly exposure, the 60-year-old, low-yielding bush vines are planted on alluvial granite soil. These old clones deliver a unique expression of Semillon which is very different to that of modern-day clones. The vines are head-trained, and the management of the block is organic, and sustainable.

Upon arrival at the winery, the Semillon grapes were whole bunch pressed in an old Vaslin press. This ensured an oxidative and very gentle pressing - yielding a very clear juice. The juice was left to settle overnight and was then racked into old, 500-litre French oak barrels for fermentation with indigenous yeasts. No sulphur additions were made until August following the vintage once the wine had time to settle. The wine was aged in a mix of larger new and old small French oak barrels, and some larger Austrian oak barrels. The final blend was bottled without fining or filtration.

Thorne & Daughters is widely acknowledged as one of the forerunners of the ‘New Wave’ wine movement in South Africa. Since 2013, John and Tasha Thorne-Seccombe have been producing innovative wines sourced from selected growers across the Western Cape.

https://www.thorneanddaughters.com