Grand Duc Noblesse

This wine has developed into a well-integrated sweet wine with enticing nutty and honey flavours. We are proud to release this wine with delicate similarities to the revered French Sauternes which was one of our main objectives. Enjoy now or age for 10 to 15 years to develop further complexity.

Vine age: 15 years. Density: 2,800 vines per hectare. Normal vineyard yield: 8-9 tons per hectare. Soils are well-drained compromised lightly structured Clovelly and Avalon. Vines are planted 1.4 m apart to avoid density as Semillon can be vigorous in growth. Intensive leaf and shoot management in October allow for even ripeness and provided shade to achieve maximum fruit concentration.

An intensive, 4-stage, harvest selection in which only noble rot berries were selected containing sugar of between 34 and 36°B. Prior to pressing the berries went through another selection process to ensure that only 100% noble rot berries were pressed. Pressing occurred over a three-day period with a minimal 95 liters per ton of Semillon recovered. Juice was settled and racked to small 225L selected French oak barrels. No yeast inoculation occurred, and the juice fermented naturally down to 128 grams residual sugar per liter.

The wine has spent 28 months in 3rd and 4th fill 225L French Oak barrels before stabilization and bottling.