Vino pH - Bukettraube PhD Ancestrale Sparkling - Swartland 2021 750ml (11.5% ABV)
info from Vine St. Imports:
- Grapes: 100% Bukkettraube
- Vineyard: Lemoenfontein Farm (Siebretskloof, Paardeberg)
- Region: Swartland, South Africa
- Vine Age: 43-years-old
- Soil Type: Decomposed granite
- Viticulture: Sustainable – dry-farmed
- Fermentation: Native – started in 29hL concrete tank, continued in stainless-steel and finished in bottle
- Skin Contact: 5 days
- Aging: 5 months on lees in bottle
- Alcohol: 11.5%
- Residual Sugar: 2.41 g/L
- pH: 3.54
- Total Acidity: 6.01 g/L
- Total SO2: 40 ppm
- Total Production: 366 cases
- Methode Cap Classique: Quality South African Sparkling aka MCC distinguishing their Top Quality of Sparkling Wine. ( No Co2 added)
The pH gals teamed up with "Master" in the Swartland winemaking industry, Adi Badenhorst to experiment with more exciting wine styles. Beautiful muscat-like flavors featuring apricots, pears, white flowering blossoms balanced with elegant minerality.
Dry with a beautiful soft mouse. Paulette and Hanneke are passionate and driven by curiosity and energy for life. They're friends firstly but make a mean team creating magic.
About:
"This is the second release from the pH ladies. Pauline had worked alongside Adi Badenhorst for a few years and had a good knowledge of this little parcel of 40+-year-old vine Bukettraube from the adjacent farm to Adi’s Kalmoesfontein. Pauline and Hanneke enlisted the help of Adi (D in the PhD) for cellar space, a little winemaking assistance, and of course a drinking buddy during the painful disgorgement times. What is Bukettraube? Well it was established in the late 19th century in Franken, Germany as a cross between Silvaner and Schiava (Trollinger). It is no longer grown in Germany due to its susceptibility to powdery mildew. South Africa has more of this grape planted than any other country (217 acres) with the vast majority being in Malmesbury and the Paardeberg. It is muscat-like and makes for a genius pét-nat!
The fruit was hand-harvested and fully destemmed. The grapes were placed in two 29hL concrete tanks where fermentation started without any additions on the skins. After five days the grapes were pressed to temperature controlled stainless-steel tanks where the fermentation continued for another five days. When the wine was approaching dryness it was bottled to finish fermenting in bottle. Pauline, Hanneke, and Adi took turns riddling the bottles over five months and the bottles were disgorged in the early spring, with a small addition of wine and sulfur was added post-disgorgement."