Thorne & Daughters Paper Kite Semillon Blanc Swartland 2019

Description

Thorne & Daughters was started in 2013 by John and Tasha Seccombe with the aim of producing authentic wines from the Western Cape. It is widely acknowledged to be one of the forerunners of the ‘New Wave’ wine movement in South Africa. Thorne & Daughters is mainly focused on producing Cape white blends, from 15 different growers in Bot River, Stellenbosch, Voor Paardeberg, Swartland, Citrusdal, Franschhoek and Overberg. Fruit sourcing has relied on a network of close winemaking friends and knocking on doors to gather the various parcels with which they work. John and Tasha did not want to be limited geographically, so the net was cast wide and has been driven by “a happy synergy of people, place, soil and vines”.

The Semillon grapes for the ‘Paper Kite’ are sourced from a single vineyard in the “Siebritskloof” (Siebret's Valley) on Swartland’s Paardeberg mountain. The 56-year-old, low-yielding bush vines are planted on alluvial granite soil. These old clones deliver a unique expression of Semillon which is very different from that of modern-day clones. The vineyards are farmed sustainably and the grapes are harvested by hand.

Deep gold in colour. On the nose, the wine boasts intense aromas of green figs, quince, almond and jasmine combined with savoury notes of oat biscuits, barley and a subtle spiciness. On the palate, the wine is rich, textured and complex with a saline minerality and a lasting finish.