VARIETAL: Chenin blanc

ANALYSIS

Alc. 8.5% Vol | RS 315 g/l | pH 3.31 | TA 8.8 g/l

ORIGIN: Piekenierskloof

VINEYARD

A younger trellised Chenin blanc vineyard grown at 770m above sea level in the Piekenierskloof. Fairly unassuming, this vineyard is Chenin with one of the highest natural acids I’ve seen in the variety in South Africa. Grown on sandstone soils, the fruit is picked and dried on nets alongside the old Oak trees on the farm, getting a mix of sun and shade through the day.

VINIFICATION

Sun dried grapes are brought into the winery after 2-3 weeks on the nets. We don’t do any sorting, all the acorns from the oaks that fall amongst the bunches are processed with the fruit. Grapes are foot stomped for a full week with a bit of fermenting Chenin juice added to start the process. Basket pressing then yields us around a 15% recovery from the original 3 tons of fruit picked for drying. The must then continues fermenting for up to a year in an old 225L French oak barrel and glass demijohn.

TASTING NOTES

The 2022 vintage has produced our best straw wine since the 2018. Pineapple pastille, dried apricots and peaches, rooibos tea and honey. A wine that tastes a lot drier than the 315g of sugar would suggest thanks to the racy acidity and phenolic grip. While good now, Not Tonight Josephine will reward for another 20 years to come.

Tim Atkin MW: 96 Points

“Not Tonight isn’t the cheapest sweet wine in the Cape, but it’s the kind of thing that would have put a smile on Napoleon’s face back in the day. Made as a straw wine from Tierhoek’s grapes in one of the coolest parts of Piekenierskloof, it has lovely stone fruit and tarte tatin flavours, 280 grams of residual sugar and racy, balancing acidity. Drink 2024-30”

Data Sheet:

Data Sheet Savage Not Tonight Josephine 2022