Fabulous wine from the ever improving Waterkloof. I visited the estate again in February this year and the wines are the best they have ever been. Meticulous vineyard management - now almost fully biodynamic, mature vines and excellent winemaking are making Waterkloof genuinely exciting wines. The 2020's are in my opinion the best reds so far, and this was the standout wine.
The Mourvèdre comes from two windswept, south-facing blocks 270-300m above and a mere 2 miles from The Atlantic. These factors combine to produce low yields, balanced grapes and wines with a true sense of place. Production was just 2 tonnes per hectare in 2020. Mourvèdre is one of the few varietals with enough wind-resistance to plant as bush-vine on Waterkloof. Grapes are hand-harvested and brought to the cellar by horses for hand-sorting. Bunches are sorted and whole-bunch fermentation happens spontaneously with wild yeast in large, open-top wooden fermenters. Manual punch-downs or foot-pressing take place 1-2 times per day and the wine is left on skins for 30 days before going through malolactic fermentation in old 600 litre barrels then ageing for 24 months in the same vessels. No fining, just a light filtration. No additons other than sulphur. Vegan friendly, biodynamic wine. 10 barrels made.
Perfumed and elegant for Mourvedre which can be very rustic. Savoury and spicy with lots of black berry fruits, black cherry too with some meaty characters, black pepper and integrated oak. A touch of dried herb too, on the long, gently creamy finish. Fabulous!
