Wildeberg, South Africa
The Earth’s mantle thrusts up above the gentle town of Franschhoek, a wild slice of untamed mountain on which sits a farm named Wildeberg. An established wine region for some 350 years, sensible generations never thought to plant a vine here until a happy band of idealists recently craned their necks up at this hillside and, dizzy with hope, decided to give it a go. Franschhoek is on the very edge of the south-eastern corner of the Cape’s venerable Coastal Region. It's here that JD Rossouw and his merry foot-soldiers tend to some of the finest and oldest vines in the Cape, and where we have isolated our vines for Vineyard Collection.
Old Vine Stockie Sémillon 2023
From extremely old Franschhoek vines – two vineyards planted in 1905 and 1936 – this dazzling Sémillon is a unique wine in the Cape and in the world. It is made in tiny volumes, partly in amphora, and matured in the finest barrels money can buy – Austrian Stockinger wood.
The extreme age of these vines makes wine like no other. It concentrates the grapes in a way which translates to wine with great intensity and character. But it does that gently, helped greatly by the maturation in Stockinger barrels. The nose is bright and concentrated with green notes, citrus and minerals. The palate is something to behold and has a killer, flinty finish. It is the mineral-acid drive that makes the palate so integrated and harmonious. Expect notes of citrus and white peach which will fill out as the wine ages. But it is good to go now, having had the benefit of those beautiful, refined Stockinger casks.
From our own Vineyard Collection vines, this is a truly unique treasure
