Luddite Chenin 2020
Our 9th vintage and we continue to polish our established house style that works for our Chenin Blanc. Keeping it simple, crush, destalk and allowing it to naturally ferment in open fermenters.
Once fermentation starts, we punch down twice a day to keep the ferment homogenous. After fermentation, we seal the bins and allow post maceration for as long as we can sleep comfortably without wondering what’s happening inside the bins. This vintage took 22 days on skins before our nerves broke.
We press directly to barrel with as much sediment as possible. This allows the wine to fill out and add texture with our regular batonnaging.
The Chenin is an outlet for the geek in Niels, allowing him to remember himself as a stamp collector. Precise, patient but allowing the wine to speak for itself. The 2020 vintage is not everybody’s cup of tea, being only 11.5% alcohol and 1g of residual sugar which, in itself, makes it a very thought provoking wine.
The 2020 vintage is also the first time we harvested from our “Dog Block”. This adds a little more minerality to the final blend.
Grapes were sourced from:
Luddite Farm House Block harvested on 20th January 2020
Luddite Farm Dog Block harvested on 27th January 2020
Average analysis of fruit at harvest
18.8° Balling, TA – 8.5 g/l, pH – 3.3
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Rich, golden straw hue.
Nose: Spicy, greengage, savoury and nutty. After a while nose opens up to give hints of white fruit; pears and peaches.
Palate: Grippy textured entry. Amazing palate weight and mouth feel for the low alcohol. Finishes with white fruit, spice and a salty minerality.
Analysis of the wine
Alcohol: 11.5%
pH: 3.31
TA: 5.98 g/l
RS: 1.0 g/l
1 320 bottles of this vintage were produced.
Tastings notes dated 24th March 2021.
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