IN THE VINEYARDS
Made from a 0.9-hectare single vineyard that
performs extremely well every year and that
communicates the purity of fruit and the
longevity of the wine it produces.
This vineyard’s location and the diurnal
temperature range have a profound
impact on the varietal definition and style,
with meticulous canopy management
setting it up for continuous success.
Slope: South-east facing vineyards
Soil: Clay and shale
Clone: GD1
CHARACTER
Still, as ethereal as its predecessors, the 2022 vintage
is slightly softer with more texture. Combined with its
youthful character the vintage comes with a level of
tension and therefore needs time to evolve. A beautiful
complexity is met with aromas of gooseberry, passion
fruit, orange blossom, vanilla pods, and a hint of flinty
gun smoke. Balanced and with exceptional length
and fruit intensity, the austere palate finishes with
an interesting combination of flavours; yellow plum,
quince, shortbread biscuit, and a steely, saline-like
aftertaste, that will evolve into more toasty notes and
honey-like texture in years to come.
PERSONALITY
Ageing will help this wine come to life in the next fiveplus years. Recognised by great structure and tension
in its youth, the 2022 will be a show stopper if you
have the patience to cellar your wine. Catalina is a flag
bearer for the estate, the result of taking a leap of faith
and being rewarded deliciously.
IN THE CELLAR
Grapes were hand-picked in the cool morning and
sorted in the cellar. De-stemming and crushing were
followed by two hours of skin contact. The juice was
settled for 24 hours, racked, and inoculated with a
selected yeast strain. The wine was barrel fermented
and matured for ten months to add texture and
complexity.
Oak maturation: 10 months
Barrel: 50% new 500L French oak
Production: 1560 bottles
Ageing potential: Up to 12 years from vintage
BEST TO ENJOY
Up to 10 years from vintage and beyond if cellared
correctly. The zippy acidity invites chevin and rich
sauces, or the saline opposite of fresh shellfish.
Cellaring potential: Up to 12 years from vintage
Serving temperature: 10 - 12°C
"More and more I find myself intrigued
by this grape varietal, the wine’s ability to age
and how it benefits from time in bottle.
All the fine characteristics will be defined with age.
It can be enjoyed young or be loved for a more
rich and creamy palate as it ages. Looking at the 2022
now just prior to release it shows what is typical
of the grape and worlds’ benchmark Semillons’;
shy at youth (nervous we call it) but patience
will be rewarded as bottle maturation will add bouquet,
depth and complexity in years to come."
Cellar Master, Johann Fourie