Technical Analysis
Hooiwijn, literally 'straw wine' in Afrikaans, where bunches of grapes are placed on racks covered by straw and twice a week turned by hand.
Tasting note
Distinctive notes of dried apricots, marmalade and honeysuckle are prominent on the nose. Complexity builds on the palate with flavours of mango, beeswax, and salted caramel. Rich on entry, with well-integrated acidity that lifts the palate and provides a clean, fresh finish of intense apricot.
Vinification details
Grapes are harvested over six dates and left on straw mats for 3 weeks to dry. This allows sugars and acids to concentrate and flavours to fully develop. Grapes are destemmed and gently pressed before being transferred into a barrel for fermentation. The fermentation process is stopped by filtration when the wine reaches an alcohol level of approximately 10%. Hooiwijn is matured in seasoned 500ℓ French oak barrels for 6 months before being bottled.
AWARDS
Platter: 93 pts
Technical Analysis
Hooiwijn, literally 'straw wine' in Afrikaans, where bunches of grapes are placed on racks covered by straw and twice a week turned by hand.
Tasting note
Pale gold in colour with intense aromas of orange blossoms, apricots and candied orange peel. A luscious wine with good acidity that lifts the palate and gives definition to complex flavours of orange marmalade, beeswax, quince and preserved cumquats, culminating in a clean, honeyed finish.
Vinification details
Grapes are harvested over six dates and left on straw mats for 3 weeks to dry. This allows sugars and acids to concentrate and flavours to fully develop. Grapes are destemmed and gently pressed before being transferred into a barrel for fermentation. The fermentation process is stopped by filtration when the wine reaches an alcohol level of approximately 10%. Hooiwijn is matured in seasoned 500ℓ French oak barrels for 6 months before being bottled.
AWARDS
Platter: 93 pts
Technical Analysis
Hooiwijn, literally 'straw wine' in Afrikaans, where bunches of grapes are placed on racks covered by straw and twice a week turned by hand.
Tasting note
Glowing gold in colour, showing aromas of marmalade, apricot, orange blossom, and subtle mineral notes of terracotta pots. Delicate yet complex on the palate, with candied orange peel, dry rooibos tea, and crème caramel complimented with a lifting acidity. Elegant, with velvety sweetness that balances the fresh acidity.
Vinification details
Grapes are harvested at optimal ripeness and left on straw mats for 3 weeks to dry. This allows sugars and acids to concentrate, and flavour compounds to fully develop. Grapes are destemmed and gently pressed before being transferred into a barrel for fermentation. The fermentation process is stopped by filtration when the wine reaches an alcohol level of approximately 10%. Hooiwijn is matured in seasoned 225l & 300l French oak barrels for 6 months before being bottled. Only 3685 bottles were made.
Technical Analysis
Hooiwijn, literally 'straw wine' in Afrikaans, where bunches of grapes are placed on racks covered by straw and twice a week turned by hand.
Tasting note
Vivid aromas of apricot, peach, candied citrus peel and marmalade are layered with subtle hints of brioche and roasted nuts. Delicately sweet on the palate with generous fruit flavours following through from the nose, with notes of beeswax and dried pears adding texture and a mouth-coating richness. Excellent balance of sweetness and acidity that cleans the palate, leaving a lingering flavour of pear juice.
Vintage conditions
Piekenierskloof has a warm climate, but enjoys light winds from the southwest which results in cool evenings. The vineyards grow at high altitude, 520m.
Vinification details
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 develop. The grapes were destemmed and pressed before being transferred into barrel for fermentation. The fermentation process was stopped by filtration when the wine reached an alcohol level of approximately 10%. Matured in seasoned 225L and 300L French oak barrels for 6 months before being bottled. Only 2441 bottles were made.
AWARDS
Tim Atkin MW: 93 pts
Technical Analysis
Hooiwijn, literally 'straw wine' in Afrikaans, where bunches of grapes are placed on racks covered by straw and twice a week turned by hand.
Tasting note
Liquid gold in a glass. This Chenin dried on straw mats shows the essence of the fruit – fresh peaches and persimmon, with mandarin marmalade, grilled peaches and orange blossom on the nose. It follows through on the palate showing flavours of candied ginger, almond pastries and dried herbs. This is a lush, rich wine kept fresh by its tart apple-like acidity and lingering finish.
Vintage conditions
Piekenierskloof has a warm climate, but enjoys light winds from the southwest which results in cool evenings. The vineyards grow at high altitude, 520m. 2018 was a very dry vintage, with an average rainfall of just 317mm.
Vinification details
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 grapes were destemmed and pressed before being transferred into barrel for fermentation. The fermentation process was stopped by filtration when the wine reached an alcohol level of approximately 10%. Matured in old 225L and 300L French oak barrels for 6 months before being bottled. Only 3300 bottles were made.
