Dragons exist in the realm of magic, but their origins are grounded by our collective fascination and curiosity in nature. Perhaps inspired by dinosaurs, there is a rich and ancient history of dragons throughout the world. Draco Africanus, the majestic African Dragon, is alleged to have spent its time whimsically flying and “skywriting” with smoke. Benevolent, wise and powerful, the ‘River Dragon’ of Silverthorn appears eternally silhouetted against the River Without End Mountains.

Cultivar: Colombar (100%)

Colour/appearance: Vibrant green hue – with a fine twirling bead of bubbles.

Nose: Vibrant aromas of chamomile blossom and thatch complimented by a subtle stone fruit and tropical notes.

Palate: Well balanced with an elegant structure, fine mousse which imparts a gentle explosion of bubbles on the palate and a long finish.

WINEMAKING

River Dragon was hand harvested towards the end of February in the early hours of the morning at 19 degrees balling. The grapes from a 39 year old vineyard, were whole bunch pressed with a very low recovery rate of only 500 litres per ton – this ensures that no bitter tannins are extracted. 40% of the base wine was fermented in old Acacia 500 litre barrels to enhance complexity. Secondary fermentation occurred in the bottle and the wine spent 12 months on the lees after which it was manually riddled and disgorged.

FOOD PAIRING

Poached fillet of trout with lemon sauce

Duck pancakes

Black mussel potjie

ANALYSIS: Alc – 12.0%   |   RS – 6.5g/l   |   pH – 3.2   |   TA – 6.1g/l