28 Jun 2017 Durbanville Hills comes up with a local gem
Following an array of successful Sauvignon Blanc vintages, Durbanville Hills has expanded its range to launch a vibrant Sauvignon Blanc sparkling wine with stunning packaging.
Owner Distell is clearly tapping into a new opportunity to serve a Millenial market looking for an accessible sparkling alternative to wine, ready-to-drinks and more expensive MCCs. In November last year it launched a similar upmarket sparkling range under its JC le Roux label called Vibrazio.
According to Martin Moore, cellar master at Durbanville Hills, the award-winning winemaking team has spent the past few years perfecting a sparkling wine that has the ability to transform any moment into a memorable event. “We are extremely excited to introduce South Africans to the newest member of the Durbanville Hills family.”
The new sparkling wine boasts a vibrant and unique floral design, inspired by sunny South African summer days. “The bottle design is truly a work of art that we hope will take pride of place at any event, from an intimate dinner to a wedding reception.”
When asked about the winemaking process Moore explains that the grapes used for the sparkling wine are 100% Sauvignon Blanc and have been hand-harvested at between 22.5 – 23.5° Balling. Thereafter, the grapes are de-stemmed at the cellar and placed into 15-ton separators where the free-run juice is separated from the skins and left overnight to settle.
“The juice is then racked to the fermentation tank where it’s inoculated with a selected yeast strain and fermented at 15°C for between 14 -21 days. After fermentation, the wine is racked from its primary lees, the sulphur dioxide is then added and left on the secondary lees for three to six months until bottling. Lastly, the wine is infused with carbon dioxide during bottling.
Flaunting a soft golden hue, Moore says that the wine presents guests with a fresh burst of flavour. “The CO2 in the wine elevates each layer of fresh tropical fruit, emphasising the greener spectrum brought in by the Sauvignon Blanc grapes and releasing aromas of kiwi and gooseberries. This freshness follows through to the palate with a slight hint of sweetness, balancing the liveliness of the acidity.”
The bottle comes without a capsule over the cork, and instead boasts a coloured muselet (wire hood in laymen’s terms).
The pearlised floral neck and body labels are printed on Chromolux Pearl E (used for its wet strength properties in ice buckets) beautifully printed by SA Litho.
Brendan Schwartz’s Cape Town-based design agency, Bravo Design, is responsible for the delightful creative work for the labels, affixed to bottles supplied by Consol Glass. Another local gem!
About Durbanville Hills
Nine leading vineyard owners in the Durbanville district joined forces with Distell to create Durbanville Hills with the aim of promoting the regional individuality of this prime wine-growing area.
The striking Durbanville Hills cellar sits on the side of a series of rolling hills with magnificent views of Table Mountain and Table Bay – the very geography that lies at the heart of what makes the wines so unique.
The Durbanville ward is considered one of the Cape’s coolest wine regions, thanks to the sea breezes that drift inland from False Bay and Table Bay and the late afternoon mists that bathe the slopes. These conditions are ideal for the slow ripening of the grapes, allowing them to develop their full-flavoured, intense character.
Grapes are sourced only from the shareholder- growers, all of whom farm within the limited appellation of Durbanville. Meticulous canopy management promotes concentration of varietal flavour.
Cellar master Martin Moore uses highly advanced cellar technology to ensure optimal extraction of flavour. Sustainable practices include maintaining the disciplines imposed by International Environmental Standard ISO 140001 such as in the treatment of waste water back to irrigation quality.
In all its vineyards the growing practices prescribed by IPW (Integrated Production of Wine) are followed. These are designed to sustain natural resources. In addition, the members protect on their farms 320 ha of endangered Renosterveld as part of the Biodiversity Wine Initiative (BWI).