Boekenhoutskloof, Noble Late Harvest 2015

The classic nose intrigues with alluring aromas of peach blossom, nectarine, subtle honeysuckle and whiffs of ginger and angelica. The stone fruit and floral beeswax character of the nose follows through onto an exceptionally complex palate showing an abundance of ripe yellow peach, quince and hints of spicy, poached pear and candied orange peel. Not cloying at all, the mid-palate surprises with its elegance and balance, unctuous mouthfeel and precise, vibrant acidity. The wine finishes gently with grapefruit and mandarin zest lingering on the aftertaste.

Grapes were hand-picked in mid-May from our 0.96 ha Semillon vineyard which was planted at Boekenhoutskloof in 1997. This unique vineyard is situated on the banks of the Franschhoek River and has the perfect meso-climate for the proliferation of Botrytis cinerea.

A meticulous selection process with several successive tries is done in our vineyard to select noble rot grapes as botrytis infected bunches are paramount in making great Noble Late Harvest. Whole bunches were carefully placed in our JLB basket press and traditionally fermented for approximately 5 to 7 weeks in three first-fill Chateaux barriques. Thereafter, the wine was matured on its gross lees for 30 months prior to bottling.?

• Alcohol: 11.68% vol
• RS: 152.8 g/l
• TA: 5.7 g/l
• pH: 3.7
• W.O. Franschhoek