Stellenzicht Golden Triangle Sauvignon Blanc 2002

The wine shows the classic Stellenzicht appeal of good fruit flavors of green figs, peppers and subtle asparagus combined with an almost full-bodied mouth feel and exceptional length. Very good balance and an elegant, yet forthcoming complexity, result in a wine that is true to its stature of â€œStellenzicht Golden Triangleâ€.

A fresh wine for summer (and why not winter ?) enjoyment. Serve at 9 - 12 degrees Celsius with the freshest fish: grilled, baked or poached. Also well suited for seafood, poultry, cold cuts and salads. Delicious on its own.

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variety : Sauvignon Blanc [ 100% Sauvignon Blanc ]

winery : Stellenzicht Vineyards

winemaker : Guy Webber

wine of origin : Coastal

analysis : alc : 12.88 % vol rs : 1.9 g/l pH : 3.31 ta : 7.3 g/l va : 0.39 g/l so2 : 119 mg/l fso2 : 38 mg/l

pack : Bottle

ageing : Enjoy the wine in its youth for its fresh, vibrant appeal but be sure to keep a bottle or two in order to experience the complexity and softness of a classic.

in the vineyard : The Golden Triangle range of wines takes its name from the prime viticultural area from which its fruit originates. This imaginary triangle is formed when an overhead view is taken of the area bordered by the Stellenbosch and Helderberg mountains to the east and south respectively and the R44 road between Stellenbosch and Somerset West to the north-west. The name â€œGolden Triangleâ€ is loosely used by the local residents in describing the area and stems from its reputation for producing premium quality wines on a regular basis. With Stellenzicht being situated at the center of this â€œGolden Triangleâ€, only wines of distinctive quality, which portray the characteristics of the area and its people, will be able to bear the name â€œStellenzicht Golden Triangleâ€.

The vineyards from which the fruit was selected in crafting this wine are situated on the only south-facing portion of land on the property. Here, at an altitude of around 170 meters above sea level, the mesoclimate is ideal for the growing of top quality Sauvignon blanc grapes. Grown on the Richter 99 strain of nematode-resistant rootstocks, in rich soils of decomposed granite and Table Mountain Sandstone, the sixteen year-old vines are now at full maturity. Winter pruning was carried out in August and the vines were pruned back to two-bud bearers in order to maintain the yields at 6,5 tonnes per hectare. Due to the relatively wet growing season, only one supplementary irrigation was given just after veraison to avoid excessive moisture stress during the ripening period.

about the harvest: The relatively cool nighttime temperatures just prior to picking also allowed the grapes to reach full ripeness over an extended period, thus enhancing the overall quality of the fruit.

Having hand-picked the grapes at between 22 and 23 degrees Balling, the grapes were destalked and crushed before immediately separating the juice from the skins in order to prevent tannin extraction.

in the cellar : Pure, Vin 13, Vin 7 and VL3 yeast cultures were inoculated into the juice (in three separate tanks for experimental purposes) in order to optimize the fermentation process at around 14 to 16 degrees Celsius. The fermentation process lasted for 12 to 16 days, depending on the respective yeast strain.

Lees contact was allowed for 4 weeks after the completion of the alcoholic fermentation and the wine was allowed to naturally clarify itself under gravity for approximately two months prior to being stabilized, filtered and bottled. A total of 3,128 cases was produced.

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