Wines from all over the world are judged by an expert panel and the competition rules state that no more than 30% of the overall entrants may win awards. Cellarmaster Johan Joubertis particularly proud that they are receiving recognition for varieties not normally associated with Kleine Zalze the Family Reserve Pinotage 2009 and the Vineyard Selection Chardonnay 2011.

The Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Pinotage 2009 is a unique wine according to Johan. The fruit comes from 35-year old bush vines and everything possible is done to preserve the purity of fruit as opposed to over-extraction. The grapes are cold-soaked for several days before being fermented cold with the skins kept in the tank throughout both practices which are contrary to most other peoples methods of handling this variety. Johan then matures it in 100% new French oak barrels for 22 months to make what he terms A wine which is complex, elegant and spicier than many others. He is delighted that this international panel has picked up on these two factors in particular, as personal experience has long shown him that this is what his consumers enjoy about this wine.

The second gold medal winner, the Vineyard Selection Chardonnay 2011, is also a wine in which Johan has invested a lot of time and thought. His quest has been for freshness and complexity in fruit with a flinty character which carries through an earthy flintiness to the final wine. The Vineyard Selection is made up of 50% of this lighter style of Chardonnay which is made reductively to preserve the freshness; the remaining 50% is made in an oxidative manner. The blend of the two batches of wine is then aged for 7 months in oak barrels during which time; no batonage takes place nor is malolactic fermentation allowed to occur. I want to retain the freshness and if you start stirring up the lees and allowing malo, you lose that says Johan.

Johans overall aim in making these wines has been for his customers to enjoy them. Johan explains he and fellow winemaker Bertho van der Westhuisen want to make wines that have freshness and flavour and which invite people to always have another glass! To win awards for the wines is an added bonus and he is naturally delighted that international palates appreciate them as well.

These wines are both uniquely Kleine Zalze and are perfect expressions of us and our own regionality and winemaking style. It is a pleasure to us that people enjoy them both in South Africa and overseas as well.

The Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Pinotage 2009 is yet to be released to the public and the Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chardonnay 2011 is available from the cellars for R69.00.

For more information contact Wynand van Schalkwyk, Marketing Manager at Kleine Zalze via e-mail wvanschalkwyk@kleinezalze.co.zaor | visit Kleinezalze website.

See the original post here:
Kleine Zalze enjoys success at the Mundus Vini Awards