Touch of Dutch

The story

After Lotte had kept her wines in wooden barrels for several years, she bought a concrete ‘egg’ in 2017. An investment of € 4,000, which would make the wine taste even better. Lotte was in an exuberant mood about her purchase and in her euphoria she wrote on her egg: ‘Die Wolf is Los’…. And of course that has become the name of this Chenin Blanc, with which the Touch of Dutch collection was expanded in 2017.

The Chenin Blanc is one of the most famous white grapes from South Africa. The grapes for this wine come from Paardeberg Mountain (Swartland), an area just south of Malmesbury. The vines are about 35 years old and the vineyard is not irrigated, so the yield is relatively low, but the taste of the grape is extra intense. Lotte has inaugurated her egg with this Chenin Blanc. Although the egg has a volume of approximately 1,600 litres, Lotte always fondly referred to it as ‘her egg’.

Vineyard

All grapes come from a vineyard on Paardeberg Mountain, south of Malmesbury in Swartland. The vineyard was planted in 1984, all vines are Gobelet pruned (Bush Vines) and the vineyard is not irrigated. From 2014, organic work has been carried out in the vineyards and no chemicals are used anymore. The soil consists of weathered granite and clay. The vineyard is located at an altitude of 280m and has a slope that faces south-west.

Vinification

The date of harvest is determined by the taste of the grapes and not by the amount of sugar (Balling). The grapes are in contact with oxygen for a 100% oxidation before the start of fermentation, increasing the complexity and shelf life of the wine. The grapes are pressed with a “Basket Press”, with a maximum of 0.85 bar, to ensure that the juice is as pure and elegant as possible. After this it went directly into a concrete egg of 1600L for fermentation and raising. While educating, the wines are not crossed. The wines were bottled in May 2018. The wines have not been clarified and filtered before bottling and no SO2 has been added.

Wood education

No wood training.

To order

Lotte about this wine

Weeds don’t die… My life motto! But also the motto of this grape, because the Sémillon produces wines that can often age for decades. It’s a bit neglected in my view. But one with enormous potential and perhaps because of that my favorite grape. The secret of eternal youth!

The Hemel en Aarde Ridge (insanely beautiful name) region is located in Hermanus, an hour’s drive east of Cape Town. This is where my Sémillon vineyards are located. It is slightly cooler here because it is close to the sea. The soil is a combination of a ferruginous red-colored rock, called Koffieklip and Koue Bokkeveld Shale. I made the wine in my cellar in Stellenbosch. I picked the grapes early in the morning, pressed them in the winery and then let them rest in 300 liter wooden barrels.

It was only after nine months that I bottled the wine, with a little bit of sulphite to allow it to survive the great crossing to the Netherlands without any problems. Everything according to my winemaking philosophy: Unfined and Unflitered.

The wine is a chameleon with many fish dishes: Try smoked mackerel or salmon. But it also holds up well with a piece of fried sole.

Vineyard

All grapes come from one vineyard in Paardeberg Mountain. The vineyard was planted in 1997 and all grapes are Gobelet pruned (Bush Vines). There is no irrigation. From 2014, organic work has been done in the vineyard and no chemicals are used. The soil consists mainly of weathered granite and the vineyard has a slope towards the southwest.

Vinification

The grapes are harvested at different sugar levels to ensure the wine has good pH and acidity, along with good structure and aromas. Oxidation before the start of fermentation is allowed to improve complexity and shelf life of the wine. The wine is fermented in mainly (90%) stainless steel at a lower temperature (14C), the rest of the wine is fermented in used wooden barrels of 300L. 20% of the grapes are completely fermented on the skins with a total of two weeks of skin contact. The wine is aged for 7 months in stainless steel and used wooden barrels, after which the wine is blended and bottled in September. The wine is not clarified and not filtered.

Wood education

The wine is aged for 7 months in stainless steel and used wooden barrels.

To order

The story

One wine must be first. For Lotte this was De Wortel, made from one of her favorite grapes, Mourvèdre. When Lotte helped Johan Meyer in Swartland make wine in 2015, there were some Mourvèdre grapes left at the end of the harvest. She seized this opportunity with both hands to make her first wine. Mourvèdre is known for its small, thick-skinned grapes that grow best in warm climates. The grape is usually used in blends, but can produce wines with a lot of character on its own. A good start for her first own wine. The grapes for this wine come from Paardenberg, an area between Paarl and Malmesbury. The name came from a practical consideration: there were corks available with a root on top. And of course it just sounds good, both in Afrikaans and in Dutch.

Unfortunately, disaster struck and after a fire in the warehouse, only 75 bottles have survived. Of these, 10 bottles without a label were at The Grand. They were specially painted there by artist Rob van Trier, who was working on the renovation of Bridges.

Lotte about this wine

That Bastard, for me the dustbin dog breed. I grew up with these kinds of dogs: Doing what they feel like, nice and recalcitrant. Just like this wine. The soil is a combination of Koffieklip (ferrous stone) and decomposed granite (the oldest rock in the world). The very best soil for both pigeon breeds. Due to the dry year of 2016, all grapes were very small. That’s why I chose this blend, which was not often made in the region. I let them ferment together and then, by kicking with my own feet, didn’t let the hat get dry. The results are impressive. The interplaying aromas of the two grape varieties is something magical. Hence the name Die Bastard. Two grape varieties that ‘don’t belong together’. I am very proud of it!

Vineyard

The vineyard was planted in 2005, all vines are Gobelet pruned (Bush Vines). From 2013, organic work has been done in the vineyards and as few chemicals as possible are used. The soil consists mainly of sand/weathered granite and Malmesbury shale. This is important for structure and freshness in the grapes. The vineyard has a slope that faces southwest.

Vinification

100% whole bunch fermentation on the skins. The fermentation is done quite warm, around 30 degrees Celsius. The wine fermented on the skins for 10 days and then remained on the skins ‘post ferment’ for another 22 days to get a good integration of the tannins.

Wood education

After pressing, the wine was aged in older French oak barrels for about 11 months.

Taste description

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Lotte about this wine

A purebred Swartland Grenache and also a tribute to my uncle Peter Arthur Wolf who passed away in 2015. My uncle was a bit like the Grenache: closed, but open when I needed him. Just like this wine, a man with a lot of depth and layers.

Vineyard

The vineyards are located in the heart of Swartland, on a very warm slope of schist soil. The ideal conditions for the sun-loving Grenache.

Vinification

I limited the extraction of the wine by kicking the hat with my bare feet once a day. The Grenache always has a little more time to loosen, so I soaked the grapes for a long time. After a few weeks, he opened up and revived completely.

Wood education

I made an elegant wine from it. One to serve with richer fish dishes or light meat dishes.

Taste description

mmmmmm… nice man..

Lotte about this wine

That Bastard, for me the dustbin dog breed. I grew up with these kinds of dogs: Doing what they feel like, nice and recalcitrant. Just like this wine. The soil is a combination of Koffieklip (ferrous stone) and decomposed granite (the oldest rock in the world). The very best soil for both pigeon breeds. Due to the dry year of 2016, all grapes were very small. That’s why I chose this blend, which was not often made in the region. I let them ferment together and then, by kicking with my own feet, didn’t let the hat get dry. The results are impressive. The interplaying aromas of the two grape varieties is something magical. Hence the name Die Bastard. Two grape varieties that ‘don’t belong together’. I am very proud of it!

Vineyard

The vineyard was planted in 2005, all vines are Gobelet pruned (Bush Vines). From 2013, organic work has been done in the vineyards and as few chemicals as possible are used. The soil consists mainly of sand/weathered granite and Malmesbury shale. This is important for structure and freshness in the grapes. The vineyard has a slope that faces southwest.

Vinification

100% whole bunch fermentation on the skins. The fermentation is done quite warm, around 30 degrees Celsius. The wine fermented on the skins for 10 days and then remained on the skins ‘post ferment’ for another 22 days to get a good integration of the tannins.

Wood education

After pressing, the wine was aged in older French oak barrels for about 11 months.

Taste description

–

Lotte about this wine

Weeds don’t die… My life motto! But also the motto of this grape, because the Sémillon produces wines that can often age for decades. It’s a bit neglected in my view. But one with enormous potential and perhaps because of that my favorite grape. The secret of eternal youth!

The Hemel en Aarde Ridge (insanely beautiful name) region is located in Hermanus, an hour’s drive east of Cape Town. This is where my Sémillon vineyards are located. It is slightly cooler here because it is close to the sea. The soil is a combination of a ferruginous red-colored rock, called Koffieklip and Koue Bokkeveld Shale. I made the wine in my cellar in Stellenbosch. I picked the grapes early in the morning, pressed them in the winery and then let them rest in 300 liter wooden barrels.

It was only after nine months that I bottled the wine, with a little bit of sulphite to allow it to survive the great crossing to the Netherlands without any problems. Everything according to my winemaking philosophy: Unfined and Unflitered.

The wine is a chameleon with many fish dishes: Try smoked mackerel or salmon. But it also holds up well with a piece of fried sole.

Vineyard

All grapes come from one vineyard in Paardeberg Mountain. The vineyard was planted in 1997 and all grapes are Gobelet pruned (Bush Vines). There is no irrigation. From 2014, organic work has been done in the vineyard and no chemicals are used. The soil consists mainly of weathered granite and the vineyard has a slope towards the southwest.

Vinification

The grapes are harvested at different sugar levels to ensure the wine has good pH and acidity, along with good structure and aromas. Oxidation before the start of fermentation is allowed to improve complexity and shelf life of the wine. The wine is fermented in mainly (90%) stainless steel at a lower temperature (14C), the rest of the wine is fermented in used wooden barrels of 300L. 20% of the grapes are completely fermented on the skins with a total of two weeks of skin contact. The wine is aged for 7 months in stainless steel and used wooden barrels, after which the wine is blended and bottled in September. The wine is not clarified and not filtered.

Wood education

The wine is aged for 7 months in stainless steel and used wooden barrels.