Neil Ellis Op sy Moer 2016

Op Sy Moer translates as “sur lie” or “on the lees”. That means instead of going their separate ways, the wine and lees stay in touch for some light fliting. It’s a friendship with benefits. By keeping it on the lees, the wine is better preserved and less oxidation occurs. As the friendship matures, the lees add more richness and texture to the wine. Secondary aromas and flavours evolve, giving the wine even more complexity.

With no added sulphur, unfined and unfiltered, Op Sy Moer is bottled with fine lees. For best results when aging, store the bottle cork down. Before opening and enjoying, turn the bottle cork up for three to five days (the longer the better) to allow the lees to settle.

The vineyards are about 450m above sea level. They are old, non irrigated bush vine vineyards that grow in Table Mountain sandstone soils, among the natural fynbos vegetation and rooibos tea plantations. 

Grapes were harvested at 22.0°B with a total acid of 5.2 g/l and a pH of 3.4

The grapes were whole bunch pressed and transferred straight to barrel for fermentation. 15% was fermented as whole bunches and kept on the skins for four months after which it was pressed. This wine underwent natural fermentation, no additives and no sulphur addition.
The wine was racked from the gross leese and kept on its fine leese for bottling.

Bottled in July 2016