Viognier
2017 was the last vintage we made of this wine. It is a tiny parcel (300 vines) we have been working with for a number of years. The name comes from one of my favourite musicians Thomas Mapfumo from Zimbabwe. When he started out making music and formed a band they all used to work in the chicken runs so their first band they called Hallelujah Chicken Run. The photo was taken by friend Kevin Short whilst on a photo shoot in Kenya, the boy symbolises how we feel about wine.
Bush vines planted in 2001, the soils have a higher clay content than a lot of the other parcels I get from which helps with water retention which is a good thing in the very dry years. Not a lot of suckering is done to promote leaf growth.
Hand harvested then whole bunch pressed into a 300L old French oak cask. Full malolactic fermentation is allowed to take place. No added yeast or acid. SO2 added a month before bottling, un-fined and with a light clarifying filtration. “Grapes from a vineyard planted in 2001 on granite on the outskirts of Malmesbury. The nose shows honeysuckle, fynbos and peach while the palate is light-bodied with a pleasing tension about it – clean, fresh and pithy.” 90 Points – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za
