The wine has an attractive green hue and shows a fine balance between tropical flavours such as litchi, granadilla and pineapple and greener aromas such as green pepper and green apples. It is full-bodied for an aperitif-style wine, but surprises with a refreshing, lingering aftertaste.
A refreshing aperitif and perfect with salads, sea foods, sea food pasta and spicy foods like Chinese and Thai dishes.
in the vineyard : Location of La Motte
33 53 latitude, Franschhoek Valley, South Africa
This wine was made from grapes originating from vineyards growing in different regions in the Cape winelands - Franschhoek (45%), Darling (30%), Walker Bay (15%) and Olifants River (10%).
Vintage
The period preceding the 2006 harvest was reasonably normal in terms of long-term standards. The winter was sufficiently wet and cold to ensure dormancy, but an untimely hot period during August was probably the cause of uneven budding in some varietals. Sauvignon Blanc, however, was only slightly affected. During December, conditions were very windy and water consumption was high. The stress caused smaller berries to be formed - a positive factor.
Harvesting started on the normal date and grapes harvested early escaped the high February temperatures. Grapes were extremely healthy and the yield at La Motte was high.
Viticulture
Each vineyard grows in its own macro climate and different clones are represented. All the vineyards are trellised and managed to maintain a perfect balance between leaf coverage and yield. Thanks to the different terriors, each region produces its own distinctive grapes, so the grapes from each area makes a unique contribution to the character of this wine. The Walker Bay grape component is produced organically.
about the harvest: Grapes were harvested at between 19 - 23° Balling, to retain natural acid, and to develop fuller, richer flavours. Thanks to ghe good health of the grapes, skin contact could be allowed, lending more flavour.
in the cellar : The process was reductive, with cold frmentation (10 - 13°C). After fermentation, the wine was left on the lees for 3 months to enhance complexity. The first batch of 20,000 cartons (12 x 750ml) was bottled on 15 May 2006 and released as La Motte 2006 Sauvignon Blanc.