2020 Swartberg Wingerde Miracle Bush White

The Piekenierskloof gets its name from the Dutch soldiers known as the 'piqneniers' (pikemen), who were sent to the 'Groote Clooff' during the Second Khoi-Dutch War in 1673 to protect convoys crossing this mountain pass. A rugged wilderness with naked rock formations. The gnarled bushvines of this region include Grenache noir vines said to have been planted on the Piekenierskloof plateau as early as the early 18th century. Legend has it that while exiled on the island of St Helena in the early 1800s, Napoleon Bonaparte drank a sweet wine that came from these Grenache noir vines. A unique terroir of dry farming at an altitude of 550-750 m above sea level and the cold, harsh sea influence of the west coast form these individual wines.

The Swartberg Wingerde wines are made by Rudiger Gretschel, known as production director at Vinimark, including Boekenhoutskloof, Franschhoek) and the winemaker at Reyneke (Stellenbosch). Rudiger has now also made wine under his own label after searching for the most suitable plots in Piekenierskloof for almost 20 years.

The Miracle Bush White is a blend of 47% Chenin blanc, 40% Grenache blanc and 13% Palomino. The Piekenierskloof is home to the oldest and most exquisite Palomino vineyards in all of South Africa. This particular Palomino vineyard was planted in 1965. With its inherently low acidity, the grapes can be picked early to make a fresh wine with an intense floral aroma. The Grenache blanc is picked more maturely for the backbone adding richness, depth and complexity. The Chenin blanc focuses the final blend with its firm acidity and mineral line. These vineyards are all bush vines. Picked by hand, the grapes are cooled overnight in a cold room. All grapes are pressed whole bunch and lightly settled overnight before spontaneous fermentation begins. The Chenin blanc is fermented and aged for 9 months in new 225 l Mittelberger oak barriques. The Grenache blanc is fermented and aged in clay amphora, while the Palomino is aged

The Miracle Bush fully lives up to its name and is an absolute beauty of a wine. This white blend is spicy with a floral nose. Complex because with some time beautiful layers emerge and in addition to flowers, white and yellow fruit we also smell mineral tones and very far in the furthest some oxidative tones such as with a white chateauneuf du pape or a white rioja. This is a very harmonious wine with a great depth of flavor with aromas of anise and pear in the mouth, again with a nice minerality.

FACT: Only a few thousand bottles in total are made of the Swartberg Wingerde wines and the Dutch Allocation is already very minimal