The 2025 Elgin season began late and never caught up. Warm autumn and early-winter temperatures left the accumulation of cold units about 14 days behind the previous season, and flowering and veraison both arrived roughly two weeks later than in 2024. Summer stayed cool with no notable heat events, and an exceptionally dry February let the fruit ripen slowly and evenly. Harvest across Elgin began about two weeks later than the year before.

The grapes were hand harvested from 10 to 14 February, chilled overnight, then whole-bunch pressed on a gentle champagne cycle. The juice settled overnight before moving to 1000L Austrian oak foudres for fermentation. Fermentation was spontaneous and slow, driven by ambient yeasts. The wine rested on its lees for ten months, with occasional light bâtonnage in the first few months to build texture and mid-palate weight. No malolactic conversion took place, keeping the acidity crisp and the profile taut.

Tasting Notes: A more generous side of an Elgin vintage, with real depth behind the tension. The nose starts out reticent but finds its stride with time in the glass. Chalk and wet gravel lead, with a thread of frangipani and fresh, leesy bread dough. The citrus reads as pith rather than zest, the white part inside the peel, while lime leaf adds a cool, fragrant edge. The palate opens with candied white citrus, white pear and green apple. Lime zest across the mid-palate turns into fresh-cut grapefruit, softened by sweeter hints of roasted Queen pineapple. Give it a few days open and the wine trades some of its tension for more generous layers of tree fruit and brûlée. A fascinating evolution, and well worth waiting for. Serve well chilled but not ice cold, and decant or pour early if you want to see it at its most expressive.

Food Pairing: The wine's mineral grip, bright acidity and creamy lees texture make it a versatile partner for richer white-meat and seafood dishes. Ideal matches include: Cape rock lobster or grilled langoustines with lemon and garlic butter. Pan-fried sole or line fish meunière. Roast free-range chicken with tarragon and cream. Wild mushroom risotto finished with Parmesan. Seared scallops with cauliflower purée. Aged Gruyère, Comté or a ripe Brie. The absence of malolactic conversion keeps the finish crisp enough to cut through butter and cream without feeling heavy.

‘From a 2021 vineyard. Fermented and matured for 10 months in 1,000-litre foudre. Shy aromatics of pear, white peach, green apple, citrus, blossom and herbs. Lean and taut but not underdone, with a dense core of fruit and zingy acidity, finishing pithy and dry. Elegant and poised. Alc: 12.28%.’ – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za, 94/100 | Serious

ANALYSIS: ALC 12.28% | TA 5.7g/L | pH 3.17 | RS 4.3g/L