Description
Vineyards
The grapes for the Rocking Horse were sourced from a number of very carefully selected growers around the Western Cape. The Roussanne and the Chardonnay come from younger trellised vines, with an average age of 14 years planted in Stellenbosch and Paardeberg mountain on a combination of clay and decomposed granite. Semillon Blanc from Franschhoek, Clairette Blanche from Stellenbosch and Chenin Blanc from Paardeberg add depth and textural complexity to this Cape white blend as they are sourced from old, low-yielding bush vines estimated to be approximately 40 years old.
Vintage
Following five years of drought, the 2021 vintage received long-awaited rains which began to replenish water reserves. Cooler and wetter conditions prevailed which allowed them to pick an average-sized crop, greater than the preceding years. A few warm periods during the growing season promoted good ripeness levels in all vineyard blocks, balanced by great acidity and resulting in wines with a wonderful immediacy and ethereal, weightless energy.
Vinification
The grapes were whole bunch pressed in an old Vaslin press, which ensures an oxidative pressing and yields a very clear juice. The juice was left to settle overnight then racked off the heavy solids and transferred to old French oak barrels ranging in size from 225 litres to 600 litres. Fermentation occurred naturally in barrel and the wines were then allowed to undergo spontaneous malolactic fermentation. Sulphur dioxide was first added in August following the vintage when the wines had had time to settle. The Rocking Horse spent 10 months on its fine lees after fermentation, prior to blending and bottling.
Grape Varieties
Semillon 29%
Roussanne 32%
Chardonnay 19%
Chenin Blanc 16%
Clairette 4%
Alc 13.5%
RS 1.8g/l
TA 6g/l
pH 3.3
