The grapes to produce Blanc Olifantsberg were separately whole bunch pressed to ensure elegant extraction. Natural fermentation took place in 500 litre seasoned French oak barrels imparting layers of complexity. The blended Blanc Olifantsberg was aged for 10 month on its lees, with some bâtonnage contributing to the freshness and complexity of the wine. Ageing took place in French oak of which 10% was new. The vision was to produce a great white Rhône style blend from the Breedekloof.
The vineyard is located on the fertile slopes of the Olifantsberg Mountain Range at altitudes from 250 metres to 450 metres above sea level. It endures harsh conditions, with wide diurnal temperature swings and strong winds. During the winter the mountain peaks are snow covered, keeping the vines dormant for longer. Cold winters, coupled with the summer winds, ensures the slow ripening of the grapes and helps to maintain healthy vines, contributing freshness and elegance to the wines. The vineyards are farmed using sustainable practices, helping to maintain the biodiversity within the vineyard and soils. The Roussanne and Grenache Blanc are young plantings on the estate and are grown on shale soils, the Chenin Blanc is grown on sandstone/shale soils, which lends freshness to the wine. The training is ‘sur eschalas’ in order to maximise the number of vines per hectare and to protect them from strong winds.
Olifantsberg is passionate about producing authentic wines with a true sense of place, which reflect the unique location of their vineyard. The focus is on sustainable farming and winemaking practices, resulting in limited intervention in the both the vineyard and cellar. The Olifantsberg team are fully committed to understanding their terroir and managing their natural resources through conservation, which adds to the singularity of their wines. The unique terroir with its combination of Breede-shale, Renosterveld and sandstone soils, constant winds and elevation, produces concentrated fruit that results in elegant, fresh and age-worthy wines.
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