Thorne & Daughters Rocking Horse Western Cape 2022

Chardonnay Collection by Philglas & Swiggot

  • Size: 750ml
  • Vintage: 2022
  • ABV: 13%
  • Origin: Western Cape/South Africa
  • Grapes: 32% Roussane/29% Semillon/19% Chardonnay/4% Clairette/16% Chenin Blanc

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 grapes for the rocking Horse were sourced from a number of very carefully selected growers around the Western Cape. The grapes were whole bunch pressed in an old Vaslin press, which ensures an oxidative pressing, with no treatments or additions. Fermentation occurred naturally in barrel and the wines were then allowed to undergo spontaneous malolactic fermentation. The Rocking Horse spent 10 months on its fine lees after fermentation, prior to blending and bottling. 

This wine is deep gold in colour having been exposed to oxygen at the beginning of the winemaking process. On the nose, it reveals aromas of yellow plum, kumquat and bay leaf, with saline undertones. The palate is broad and supple and finishes with a clean line of acidity