Thelema Sauvignon Blanc 2024

STELLENBOSCH, SOUTH AFRICA  Bright and vibrant, this Sauvignon Blanc offers refreshing aromas of melon & grapefruit.  The palate is crisp and lively, with zesty citrus and subtle tropical fruit flavours balanced by a mineral edge. The finish is clean and invigorating, showcasing excellent acidity and length.  FOOD PAIRING  As an apertif or with delicately flavoured foods like salads, oysters, scallops and chicken.  VITICULTURAL PRACTICES  Varietal Sauvignon Blanc – Clones 133 ER, SV 316D, 159C, 11R and 7A  Root stock R99 and R110  Soil type Hutton – decomposed granite  Age of vines Planted 1985, 1993, 1997, 2002 and 2007  Plant density 2100 to 3200 vines per hectare  Trellising Perold, vertical hedge  Pruning 2-bud spurs every 15cm  Yield 7.0 t/ha  Irrigation Supplementary drip  Vintage Apart from some warmer days during December and January, we experienced a relatively cool season, ideal for achieving optimal berry and seed ripeness.  Picking dates 25 January 2025 - 06 February 2024  Grape sugar 22.2 - 22.8 °B  Acidity 7.1 - 9.4 g/l  pH at harvest 2.9 - 3.0   WINEMAKING PRACTICES  Yeasts Vin 7 & Alchemy 2  Fermentation temp 15 °C  Method The grapes were gently de-stemmed, pumped through our mash cooler, (Glycol  set at 5°C) to cool the fruit down, receives a dose of pectolytic enzymes as well as a small amount of SO2 to aid in the juice clarification process, prevent oxidation  and spontaneous fermentations. Once the press is full the cycle is started, and the juice is moved to a holding tank. Clarification takes place via floatation in the late afternoon and the juice is moved to its fermentation tanks early the following morning. We inoculate with a commercial yeast strain, the ferment runs at 14°C,  to maintain a progressive yet stable fermentation curve. The wines are left on their gross lees for 6 months after which we rack them and add a light fining to clean them up a bit for evaluation and then bottled.   WINE DETAILS  Residual Sugar 2.8 g/l  pH 3.12  Total acid 7.4 g/l  Alcohol 13.5% by volume