Laing
Groendruif (Semillon)
Laing Groendruif (Semillon) 2022
Bright pale yellow with a green tinge. Clean and refreshing aromas of grapefruit, lemon rind and lime on the nose, with enticing hints of pear, fennel and green pepper. The palate is delicate and refined, with flavours of grapefruit, lime and cucumber elegantly supported by a lively, mineral acidity and creamy texture. Distinct salinity and dry citrus pith flavours linger in a long, lip smacking tail. A complex, focused and precise wine which although already delightful, will reward with careful cellaring and age with distinction.
Accolades: 95 Points – Platter’s SA
Laing Groendruif (Semillon) 2021
Complex nose of fynbos, nettles and buchu. Distinctly herbaceous but not overpoweringly so; it’s tempered by a twist of citrus zest with grapefruit being most prominent. The palate is zingy and alive in a thrilling way; zippy, lively, fresh with vivid grapefruit flavour but then a more considered leesy, citrus pith element is ushered in. The wine then becomes more serious and structured but remains beautifully etched and finely delineated. Complex and engaging with acidity, fruit and lees in perfect harmony. There is a touch of beeswax on the long tail which hints at greater complexity to come – given time. A wine that is good now but which will reward patience and careful cellaring.
Accolades: 93 Points – Tim Atkin MW
Laing Groendruif (Semillon) 2020
An ethereal lemon verbena perfume overlays a deeper, creamy lemon and citrus wax aroma. The palate’s taut, zippy, bright lemon zing is moderated by a toned and harmonious vanilla and butterscotch smoothness from some oak maturation which will only serve to aid the wine’s complexity with time. Vital and bristling with youthful vigour, the fresh acid vibrancy adds its own twang. Focussed and precise, this wine will age with distinction.
Accolades: Platters – 5 star.
Laing Groendruif (Semillon) 2019
Dried peach and baked apple sweetness on the nose, with biscuit and creamy vanilla undertones. The palate is rich, broad and wellrounded with ripe melon and papaya fruit, gently carried by fine acidity and creamy mouthfeel. Enchanting lime & ripe lemon flavours bring brightness to the final finish.
Laing Groendruif (Semillon) 2017
Nettle, lemon zest, flint and a touch of waxy grapefruit with faint floral hints on the nose. Grapefruit zest, lees and a gentle dusty flint element can be found in the mouth. Crisp, bright, taut and focused with a slightly nervy acid note apparent. Lovely freshness throughout but there is a confident breadth and assurance to the wine. Long, rich finish. Will age well.
Accolades: 5* – John Platter.
Laing Groendruif (Semillon) 2016
Bright citrus aromas of lime and lemon underpin nectarine abundance. Ripe stonefruit —, peach and more nectarine — are discernible on the palate, crisp and tangy with vivid acidity. The broad, creamy oak backing is more than a match for the lively, juicy fruit. There is even a hint of dry autumn leaves and honey which add interest to the complex palate. Well-balanced with a lengthy tail.
Accolades: 5 Stars – Platter’s, Semillon Wine of the Year – Platter’s.
Laing Groendruif (Semillon) 2015
Stone fruit aromas tinged with a honeyed note and a light lanolin nuance. A textural wine with lovely interplay of stone fruit —nectarine and peach — with vibrant lemon zest brightness and then a tangible flinty feel below. Appealing freshness of acidity which is contrasted by a structured, full-body from subtle use of oak. The finish is long and rich with the just the gentlest hint of wax.
Winemaking
The grapes were transported in refrigerated trucks roughly 260 kilometers to the cellar and cooled overnight. Bunches were handsorted before being pressed whole-bunch the next day, and the juice settled overnight. 55% of the juice was then racked into a stainless steel tank, with the remaining 45% going into 2nd and 3rd fill 500L French oak barrels to ferment spontaneously. Before being blended and bottled, the wine spent two months on the lees without malolactic fermentation.
Vintage Notes
A warm and dry winter preceded the 2023 harvest, with fairly even budding occurring slightly earlier than the previous year. The warm conditions continued throughout the growing season, eventually leading to a lighter crop in most regions. Heavy rains early in December brought great relief and ensured that the vines were in good condition leading up to harvest. For most of the season, conditions were ideal, and the fruit quality was outstanding. In March, unusually high and continuous rainfall created some challenges for later-ripening regions and varietals. Overall, a great quality vintage that promises to deliver some outstanding wines.
Origin of Fruit
Citrusdal Mountain
Winemaking
The grapes were transported to the cellar in refrigerated trucks and cooled overnight. Bunches were hand-sorted and whole-bunch pressed the following day and the juice was settled overnight. 60% of the juice was then racked into a stainless steel tank, and the remaining 40% into 2nd fill 500L French oak barrels where fermentation occurred spontaneously. The wine spent a final 6 months on the lees without malolactic fermentation before being blended and bottled.
Vintage Notes
Another cold, wet winter resulting in good dormancy and healthy water levels preceded the growing season. Cool, wet weather continued into spring which in turn resulted in delayed but relatively even bud break, flowering and fruit set. Favourable conditions for mildew persisted during the growing season which added pressure to careful canopy management. Cool conditions and rain during the early summer period delayed ripening and ensured that the vineyards were in very good condition as they approached the final stages of ripening, resulting in another late vintage. Healthy canopies facilitated good flavour development and bright, vibrant acidity which resulted in well balanced, age worthy wines of great quality.
Origin of Fruit
Citrusdal Mountain
Winemaking
The grapes were transported to the cellar in refrigerated trucks and cooled overnight. Bunches were hand-sorted and whole-bunch pressed the following day and the juice settled overnight. 50% of the juice was then racked into a stainless steel tank, and the other 50% into 2nd and 3rd fill French oak barrels where fermentation occurred spontaneously. The wine spent 8 months on the lees without MLF (malolactic fermentation) before being blended and bottled.
Vintage Notes
Higher rainfall saw the region recovering from the challenging drought period. Favourable climatic conditions during the growing season, with early flowering and fruit set resulted in an early harvest. The low yields, moderate ripening conditions and healthy canopies delivered concentrated fruit with excellent structure and beautiful flavours.
Origin of Fruit
Citrusdal Mountain
Winemaking
The grapes were transported to the cellar in refrigerated trucks and cooled overnight. Bunches were hand-sorted and whole-bunch pressed the following day and the juice settled overnight. Spontaneous fermentation occurred in both stainless steel tank (25%) and 3rd fill 300ℓ French oak puncheons (75%).The wine spent 14 months on the lees without malolactic fermentation before being blended and bottled
Vintage Notes
The higher rainfall saw the region recovering from the challenging drought period. Favourable climatic conditions during the growing season, with early flowering and fruit set resulted in an early harvest. The moderate ripening conditions and healthy canopies delivered excellent fruit with beautiful flavours.
Origin of Fruit
Citrusdal Mountain
Winemaking
The grapes were transported to the cellar in refrigerated trucks and cooled overnight. Bunches were hand-sorted and whole-bunch pressed the following day and the juice settled overnight
Vintage Notes
The 2019 vintage yield was significantly up from the previous 2018 vintage, which had suffered 3 years of intense drought conditions in a row. Variable weather conditions during the flowering and fruit set period in October led to some uneven ripening, but moderate weather during the growing season resulted in good growth and denser canopies. Slightly cooler conditions leading up to harvest resulted in great fruit flavours and exceptional acids.
Origin of Fruit
Citrusdal Mountain
Winemaking
The grapes were transported to the cellar in refrigerated trucks and cooled overnight to below 14°C. Bunches were hand-sorted and whole-bunch pressed the following day and the juice settled overnight. Fermentation occurred in stainless steel tanks and 2nd fill 300ℓ French oak barrels (23%). The wine spent 8 months on the lees before being blended and bottled.
Vintage Notes
With the large-scale water restrictions during the 2016 season, the post-harvest period was characterised by very dry conditions which led to early leaf fall. Although the cold was sufficient, the winter was really brief and abruptly ended by an unusually warm August which led to a rapid and early bud burst of the vineyards. Moderately warm weather during the ripening process, with cooler than usual night temperatures and minimal heat peaks, made for ideal harvest conditions.
Origin of Fruit
Citrusdal Mountain
Winemaking
The grapes were transported to the cellar in refrigerated trucks and cooled overnight to below 14°C. Bunches were hand-sorted and whole-bunch pressed the following day and the juice settled overnight. Fermentation occurred in stainless steel tanks, after which 29% of the wine was transferred to 2nd fill (300t) French oak barrels, and the balance remained unoaked. The wine spent 8 months on the lees before being blended and bottled in December.
Vintage Notes
Warmer, drier conditions than usual between March and November with below average rainfall and persisting drought conditions resulting in lower yields. These old vines again produced wines of great flavour, balance and concentration, despite slightly lower acid levels due to the warmer conditions.
Origin of Fruit
Citrusdal Mountain
Winemaking
The grapes were transported to the cellar in refrigerated trucks and cooled overnight to below 14°C. Bunches were hand-sorted and whole-bunch pressed the following day and the juice settled overnight. Fermentation occurred in stainless steel tanks, after which 54% of the wine was transferred to a large (1600e) French oak foudre, and the balance remained unoaked. The wine spent 6 months on the lees before being blended and bottled in September.
Vintage Notes
The 2015 season will go down as one of the earliest and best vintages in decades. Warm weather in August resulted in earlier bud break, after which a warm, dry and windy summer kept vineyard growth under control and accelerated ripening by approximately two weeks. Yields were slightly lower, and the smaller berries produced wines of exceptional flavour, balance and concentration.
Origin of Fruit
Citrusdal Mountain