Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve 2018

Inspired by a stroll through the Groot Constantia vineyards one…I thought why not open a Gouverneurs Reserve all by myself on a Monday?

My Mondays and Tuesdays are flexible, and I work from home. It's almost alarming how rarely I treat myself to the luxury of being able to work from home...almost as alarming as how little exercise I do. So this Monday I thought I'd do things a little differently.

The Wine:

Pale lemon, pronounced nose of lime blossoms, white peaches, campfire smoke, toast, butterscotch, nutmeg, and a hint of tropical pineapple.

Dry, high acidity, medium- bodied, and a medium finish. The palate is refreshing with it’s lime and unripe nectarines, enveloped by a light but firm veil of herbal fynbos and smokey oak.

When she takes a step back to survey the results of her panicked scribblings…sure, the classic asparagus and faint tinned pea could be added to this list.

Balance (1) + Length (1) + Intensity (½) + Complexity (1)  = A very good wine 

Drink now, but definitely suitable for much further ageing.

Viti + Vini: 

47% Sémillon + 53% Sauvignon Blanc planted on south and south east facing slopes that range between 50 metres for the lowest Sem and 240 metres for the highest Sauvignon blanc, a combination of deep red clay soil to red-brown loamy soil, both derived from granite.

All vineyard actions (pruning, canopy management, harvesting) are done by hand, with biological pest control and winter cover crops to manage weds and improve soil health.

The grapes are vinified separately in 50% new oak, 25% second fill, and 25% third and fourth fill oak. The wines are matured on the lees for 10 months and aged in bottle for a further 12 months.

ABV: 13.87 % TA: 5.8 g/L pH: 3.22 RS: 1.8 g/L Extract: 18.20 g/L

Final thoughts: 

This was my first tasting of the 2018…I think…I'm pretty sure my lost notebook had details about the 2017. It’s markedly different to the 2016 that I last opened. As much as I preferred the weight and robustness of the Sémillon dominant 2016 (75%)…this vintage is fresher and lighter and was the perfect partner to the beautiful weather - and made for a most delicious and happy Monday.

Find the Wine:

Groot Constantia

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