It is not everyday that you will come across this style of wine made from Zinfandel grapes. It is in fact unique in South Africa ! We nearly didn’t have any grapes with which to produce a Zinfandel of any description in 2002. This as a result of the heat of the 2001 vintage and its negative influence on the Block 7 Zinfandel vineyard in particular. For us Zinfandel has traditionally been a red wine but in 2001 the best that the vineyard could give us meant that all we could do was make a Blanc de Noir.

Given the problems that we experienced with that particular vineyard the temptation was to remove it entirely. Happily the decision was taken to give it one more chance and this unique and rare wine is the result. This delicious offbeat Zinfandel is in fact the very last vintage from Block 7 and it is fitting that the closing of our Zinfandel chapter is marked with a style of wine that is used to signify closure at the end of a meal or tasting.

The grapes were picked on March 3 rd and were 40% botrytised. After a gentle crushing the must was cold soaked for 14 hours so as to further enhance the flavour of the wine. Fermentation was maintained at a cool 12 – 14 degrees and when the correct flavour balance had been achieved it was stopped through cooling. The wine was filtered and a total of 10170 x 500ml bottles were filled on August 19 th 2002.

The aroma is spicy and tangy with layers of apricot, honey, hints of orange peel and dried tea leaves.

These follow through to the palate and the wines acidity balances out
the residual sugar so as to provide a mellow concentrated character.

The wine finishes dry and is surprisingly zesty and not at all cloying. Drink now to 2007.