The Bernard Series Hand-Picked Viognier 2016

Luminescent gold brushed by youthful green glimmers. Overtly peachy with sumptuous white pear, spice and honeysuckle aromas and flavours that follow through to a richly fruited finish, that while full, is still refreshing and effortlessly woven with well-integrated vanilla and oak spice intrigue.

This wine is a gourmet delight matching a variety of flavours and textures, particularly spicy fusion food like pork wontons, five-spice beef, honey roast duck or even traditional Cape Malay fragrant curries.

variety : Viognier [ 100% Viognier ]
winery : Bellingham Wines
winemaker : Niël Groenewald
wine of origin : Coastal Region
analysis : alc : 13.5 % vol  rs : 5.0 g/l  pH : 3.5  ta : 6.0 g/l  
type : White  
pack : Bottle  size : 750ml  closure : Screwcap  

ageing : Drinking well on release with the potential to develop honeyed richness further for up to 5 years in the bottle.

in the vineyard : A drier vintage than 2015 allowed for earlier ripening and low disease pressure in our vineyards. Healthy bunches bursting with flavour were hand-picked from two Viognier vineyards - some of the oldest in the Cape, located on gentle hillside slopes in Agter Paarl at the foot of the Perdeberg Mountain. The trellised vines grow on decomposed granite with low yields of around 6 tons per hectare, and this component lends structure to the wine. The second vineyard is located in the Faure area in Somerset West, contributing freshness and vitality.

about the harvest: The grapes were hand-picked at an average of 24° Balling ripeness and hand-sorted on arrival at the cellar.

in the cellar : Half of the wine was fermented wild in 3rd and 4th fill French oak barrels and left to mature for 4 months. The other half was fermented in stainless steel tanks to retain freshness and varietal vibrancy in the final blend. The young wine was left on the lees for 4 months before blending and bottling.

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Viognier