Mellish Family Vineyards Bakenkop Blanc Fumé 2021

Winemag 94/100 Points
Prescient Sauvignon Blanc Report 2023: Top 10

From a vineyard planted in 2004, on the south-facing slopes of Bakenkop hill, on Welbeloond Farm.
The vineyard has ancient, stony, shale soils and sits between 130 and 160 m above sea-level and is 9 Km east of  the Atlantic Ocean. The vineyard has been farmed organically since June 2015, but not yet certified. Harvest yields were 5.7 tons/Ha.

Picked by hand into crates early in the morning. 82.5% of the grapes were whole-bunch pressed followed by overnight settling before being racked into 33.3% old, 33.3% 2nd-fill and 33.3% new, 300-litre, French oak barrels. 100% wild ferments from ambient yeast. 17.5% of the grapes were destemmed and fermented on the skins for 7 days. The wine went through 100% malolactic fermentation. The wine then matured in the barrels on the fine lees for 9 months before bottling.  

W.O. Durbanville, Cape Town
Production: 1141 bottles