This is a rare, straight Verdelho 2015 from… (can you believe it) STELLENBOSCH!
Huge food wine, but astonishingly fresh for such a beast. And I think this is where Verdelho’s strength lies. Lovely richness with a natural acidity and freshness second to none.
Sometimes there are vineyards where small producers like myself can never dream to get into. And this vineyard is one of them. Firstly there is the owner and then 2 famous wine guys queuing for grapes from this site. So, they start the picking; firstly for the owner, then for the second guy – a massive wine industry muscle man, and then they pick for the 3rd guy – physically massive but wine industry boutique and then, IF there are any grapes left, I can buy some. So, I sit on the sideline. With my bakkie and trailor filled with empty picking crates waiting. If the trucks are full and there are grapes left, I get some.
So I am like (in Afrikaans), “n AASVOEL op ‘n paal” (ENGLISH: “vulture on a pole”) watching the lions have their bit and if there’s some left – I get it. So this is not a wine you will find in the BLANKbottle portfolio every year. I got grapes in 2014 but none in 2015. I am on the list again for 2016 so lets hope for the best!