Noblesse oblige
Winemaker Abé Beukes has made his first Noble Late Harvest since joining Darling Cellars in 1997.
Beukes, who regards Noble Late Harvest and Shiraz as his areas of speciality, was thrilled to notice botrytis infection in a Chenin Blanc vineyard earlier this year for the first time in his history with the Darling area cellar.
The wine took a staggering five months to ferment.
“The grapes were harvested on four different occasions, starting in February, and varied from 29 to 36 degrees Balling,” he says.
He’s convinced the wine is good enough to make it into the cellar’s premium Onyx range. In the meantime it’s maturing in second and third fill French oak barrels. “A bit of tannin will round off the sugar,” Beukes says. He didn’t say when it would be ready for release.
