Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chardonnay Barrel Fermented 2016
Kleine Zalze have produced fine wines for about 20 years. I remember having their Gamay Noir on my wine list in the mid 1990s. The grapes for this wine are sourced from 3 vineyard blocks in Stellenbosch and a single block in Robertson. The wine was separately vinified and spent 7 months in barrel in a combination of 70% new and the rest second and third fill 400l French oak barrels before blending and bottling.
Pour
Love the fullness of the mouth feel from entry to the long ending. Packed with flavours, creamy oatmeal, green tart apple and sweet tropical lime aromas followed by fresh sliced ripe pear and windfall citrus on the palate. Carefully cellared this wine will last for a further 8 – 10 years.
Pair
None better that a butter roasted organic chicken, a big one. Perfect with hot or cold smoked fish or seafood.
Kleine Zalze Cellar Selection Cinsault 2016
One of my favourite red wine grapes, I used to eat bunches of these in our vineyard. Largely loose bunches of grapes. For this wine Kleine Zalze used grapes from dry farmed vineyards in the Paardeberg and Darling wine appellations.
The wine was fermented on the skins for 8 days and then the free run wine underwent malolactic fermentation in the stainless steel tanks. There was no oak treatment for this wine.
Pour
From a Burgundy shaped bottle under screw cap. Gem bright translucent plum. Nose of fynbos herbs, violets and rustic red berry fruits. Palate full from entry to ending. Delicate, with the greatest flavours.
Pair
Chill it and pair it with seared tuna or sashimi. Good with Iberico ham and gently favoured charcuterie. Also excellent with soft goat cheese.
Read more about Kleine Zalze – CLICK HERE.
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