Vondeling Rurale 2018
Vondeling is a wine estate in the Voor Paardeberg area of the Paarl Wine Appellation. It is a family owned and managed estate with Matthew Copeland as its Senior Winemaker. I should add multi award winning winemaker, this man really knows what he and his team are up to.
Matthew Copeland, Vondeling Senior Winemaker
The Vondeling Rurale 2018 is such an interesting wine. Rurale was the name given to French early versions of this wine. The wine is now known as Méthode Ancestrale in the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée in France.
Vondeling Vineyards
Instead of the accepted method of two fermentations, as in Champagne, Cap Classique, Cava and others, which undergo two fermentations, one in tank and one in bottle, the Vondeling Rurale undergoes a single fermentation in the bottle. The Chardonnay 80% and Pinotage blend is made when the wine is still in juice form. A special yeast is then used to inoculate the wine. Fermentation begins. At the precise time when there is sufficient sugar and yeast to keep the fermentation going, the wine is bottled and capped and the fermentation continues. Great skill required by Matthew to choose the precise moment. Once fermented, and after a time on the lees, the wine is disgorged, and the natural cork applied with its little wire muzzle to hold it in place. The wine is then ready to be laid down for a while before being labelled and going out into the marketplace and give pleasure to many.
Pair with fresh fried whitebait
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about Vondeling Rurale 2018
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