Bonfire Hill, Extreme Vineyards White, Western Cape, South Africa, 2021

Producer Profile

Winemaker Bruce Jack has years of international winemaking experience. His passion lies in the Western Cape, making wines sourced from the most extreme vineyards and blending them to perfection.

Bruce seeks out grapes from wind-ravaged vineyards in Elim, the old expanses of the Overberg Highlands, from dryland bush vines in the warm Swartland and from the high slopes of the Piekernierskloof. They then all come together under Trizanne's watchful eye to create wines full of flavour, tannin and texture.

Viticulture

All around the far-flung edges of South African winelands are special blocks of vineyards that disappear into massive blends of often mediocre quality. This range of wines is all about plucking these vineyards from obscurity and allowing them to sing.

Winemaking

Chenin Blanc is tank fermented; Roussanne and Grenache Blanc barrel fermented, on lees for 8 months with a touch of Viognier from The Drift Estate. Destemmed to open top fermenters, 14+ days on the skins, fermented with natural yeast at 11°C, pressed in a basket press to barrel, partial malolactic fermentation.

Oak Ageing

Time: 8 Months
Type: 600L, 300L, 228L French Oak
% wine oaked: 24
% new oak: None

Tasting Note

Welcome to complex, ripe aromas of citrus and peach, backed up by the faintest sprinkling of fresh thyme and vanilla. The aromas introduce a palate altogether more complex, with rich, more-ish, juicy stone fruit, wrapped up in crunchy, refreshing, grapey acidity. Mouth-filling, delicious and succulent.

Food Matching

Spring vegetables, light seafood dishes and scallops.