Hooiwijn, Donkiesbaai
Hooiwijn, Donkiesbaai
Deep straw colour with aromas of refreshing citrus peel, orange blossoms, granola and ripe mango that give this wine a beautifully complex and layered bouquet. Upfront flavours of dried apricots, honey, dried apple slices and ripe mangos lead the palate into a subtle hint of dusty straw and marmalade, integrating well to reveal an opulent and lingering finish.
Vintage - 2017
Country - South Africa
Region - Western Cape
Grape Varieties - Chenin Blanc 100%
Alcohol by volume - 9.5%
Bottle - 37.5cl
Producer - Roelof Lotriet
Hooiwijn, literally 'straw wine' in Afrikaans, where bunches of grapes are placed on racks covered by straw and twice a week turned by hand. With 2017 vintage grapes coming from the original vineyard on a north-eastern slope at the very top of Piekenierskloof pass, Donkiesbaai have carefully sourced and encorporated a small percentage of Chenin Blanc from pockets in the Stellenbosch and Swartland regions, chosen to complement the style in which they make Hooiwijn. All these individual blocks of Chenin Blanc bush vines are planted in deep sandy soil and yield an average three tons per hectare. Grape berries were smaller and more concentrated in this 2017 vintage because of the dry climate. Yields too were much smaller but the quality of the grapes were exceptional.
The grapes were harvested at optimal ripeness, and left on straw mats for three weeks to dry. This allows the sugars to concentrate and the flavour compounds to fully express themselves. The wine was barrel fermented, and then matured in French oak barrels for 6 months before bottling.