Zwartwater Estate White Blend Paardeberg 2024

Located on the granitic slopes of the Paardeberg in the Swartland, the vineyards are shaped by a central valley. The soils are made up of weathered granite, which is naturally low in nutrients and drains well. This terroir limits excessive vine growth and encourages deep roots, imbuing the wines with depth, balance, and clarity. Cooling coastal winds are funnelled through the valley, helping to regulate temperatures and reduce disease. The vineyards are mostly dry-farmed and bush-vine trained, with simple trellising if required, to suit the warm Swartland climate. This approach helps manage vine growth, protects the grapes from excessive sun, and allows them to ripen slowly and evenly. Farming follows a regenerative approach focused on improving soil health, with minimal intervention, cover crops being encouraged and biodiversity actively supported. Vineyard treatments are minimal and applied only when necessary. The grapes are manually harvested ensuring careful selection and optimal ripeness.

The grapes were cooled overnight to 2°C, before being whole bunch pressed. The juice was settled before being fermented in concrete eggs, neutral oak, second-and thirdfillbarrels, and amphorae, with wild yeasts. Following fermentation, the wines spent 12 months on the gross lees in their individual vessels, before being consolidated into a single tank for another 12 months of integration prior to bottling.