In 2013 this became the first Albariño to be made in South Africa after the Newton Johnson family imported the vine material of this fragrant variety to the Cape with designs on establishing a familiar home for it in the favourable maritime conditions of the Upper Hemelen-Aarde Valley. The grape has its origins on the wet and cool Atlantic north-west coast of Spain and Portugal, where monks are fabled to have brought it from the Rhine River in central Europe on their pilgrimages centuries before. Its native soil is of Granite origin, similar to ours, where it expresses subliminal definition, almost Riesling -like florality and complexity.

W I N E M A K E R ’ S  T A S T I N G  N O T E

An opulent concentration of crisp and complex fruit and redolent white flowers. The pungent base of ripe limes, tangy nectarine and quince fruit is softened with a mealy beeswax character. Drifting scents of apple blossom and honeydew deliver some alluring top notes. The waxy texture envelops the pal ate, succulent fruit in the middle, and the flavour protracted by refreshing acidity in the finish.

A N A L Y S I S

Alcohol by volume 13.32 %

Total Acidity 6.1 g/l

pH 3.34

Residual sugar 2.93 g/l

L O C A T I O N  &  C L I M A T E

These three vineyards lie on north and south facing slopes at altitudes of 250-300m, in the porphyritic Granite soils of the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. This appellation ranges from 4 to 8 km in proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. The climate is cool and temperate, where parallel mountain ranges channel the southerly oceangoing winds through the appellation during the summer. These southerly winds in turn create regular sea mists and overcast conditions, moderating the temperatures in the valley. The annual rainfall is 850mm, with 50% falling in the winter months (May – August).

A P P E L L A T I O N: Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley

V A R I E T I E S:  100% Albariño

S O I L : Deep decomposed granite and some clay, with fine 2-5mm gravel.

A S P E C T: North-West and South facing. Slope of 13%.

T R E L I S S I N G: 7-wire Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP) with movable wires

A G E  O F  V I N E S: 5 to 20 years (grafted on to 10-year-old rootstock in 2013)

P R U N I N G:  Double Guyot and a little cordon pruned

V I N E S  P E R  Ha: 3333 A

V E R A G E  Y I E L D: 7 tons/ha (49 hl/Ha)

202 2 V I N T A G E

Growing Season & Harvesting The growing season was preceded by a glorious Winter for vine dormancy. Abundant rain from May through to August and 45 chilling portions to a late budbreak in mid -September, ensured an even budbreak and good fertility in the vines. An exceptionally cool Spring produced late flowering from mid to late November, with a storm system causing some wind damage during flowering on 25t h November. As December passed into January, the rain disappeared and the sun came out, produc ing a dry and warmer ripening period for the grapes. The drawn out growing season still culminated in an average ripening period of 107 days from flowering to harvest for both the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Abundant yields were observed in all varieties and excellent health of the bunches from the drier conditions. The Albariño was harvested relatively late in the season from 1 s t to 11t h March.

Winemaking

The grapes are handpicked and packed in to small, shallow crates to limit crushing of the bunches. The day’s harvest is cooled down overnight to 8ºC in the winery’s refrigerated cold room. The bunches are hand-sorted on a conveyor table and fall directly in to the press for whole bunch pressing . The juice is settled overnight (no enzymes used) and racked to large concrete eggs, stainless steel, with a smaller component in old foudre, for spontaneous fermentation. No sulphur was added before fermentation. Maturation & Bottling Matured for 8 months in concrete eggs (29%), stainless steel (62%) and old wooden foudre (9%). No fining, coarse filtration and sulphur adjustment before bottling.

B O T T L E S  P R O D U C E D: 1 3 490 x 750ml

B O T T L I N G  D A T E:  19 J a n u a r y 2023

B E S T  D R I N K I N G: Now – 10 years

Data Sheet:

https://newtonjohnson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2022-NJ-Albarino.pdf