It may be dry January, but there are still many wines to taste. Join your frozen lake side wine shop for a delightful grouping of whites and reds to set you up for a marvelous MLK Weekend.
We will be tasting two whites and two reds. The whites include a 2023 Old Vine Chenin Blanc and a biodynamic Chardonay aged in concrete and clay. The reds include a biodynamic French Syrah and a biodynamic 2023 Pinot Noir.
This is a free event and very casual. Come anything between 4pm and 6pm and stay for as long as you like. Of course we will be providing a well appointed charcuterie board to help to cleanse your palate.
Make a night of it in Sunapee Harbor by using the tasting as a starting point to finish at Wildwood Smokehouse, the Blue Canoe or Hoptimystic.
Jasper Raats Concrete and Clay Chardonnay
AROMA PROFILE – Distinct aromas of fresh pear combined beautifully with white apple blossoms & a hint of grapefruit carrying through to the palate, ending in a refreshing, clean & lingering, perfectly balanced finish.
TERROIR – This wine showcases the terroir for which Longridge is known. Rooted in the oldest viticulture soil in the world, it is made up of decomposed granite on the lower slopes of the Helderberg. This vineyard enjoyed the refreshingly cool breezes from False Bay (Atlantic Ocean) during the day & cool air at night flowing down the mountain, resulting in even ripening of the berries and good natural acidity. The macro climate is maritime, with cold wet winters and dry, warm summers, with the Helderberg area being the coolest in the Stellenbosch region.
VITICULTURE – The vineyards are meticulously cared for by hand to ensure maximum quality. Organic and biodynamic practices are employed, which includes not using any pesticides, herbicides or chemical sprays. In addition, farm produced compost, teas and biodynamic preparations are employed.
VINIFICATION – The grapes were harvested early morning and whole bunch pressed. The juice was left to settle in stainless steel tanks and transferred to concrete & clay amphora eggs, creating a refreshing and almost mineral quality in the wine. Almost no sulphur was added during the first 6-9 months. Fermentation started naturally, and no enzymes, fining agents, commercial yeast, or filtration was used. Only 1200 bottles of this special wine were made.
ORIGIN – Helderberg, Stellenbosch
WINEMAKER – Jasper Raats Alc: 13%; RS: 2.0 g/l; TA: 54,4 g/l; pH: 3.34
Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2023
This single vineyard bush vine block (planted 1982) located in the Breedekloof Valley is the birthplace for this wine. The grapes are grown on a sandstone-based soil with old river-deposited rocks. Annual pruning, suckering and seasonal work are done by our team with great care to extend the life of this special block. Elegant mouthfeel and texture to complement coated acidity with good depth of fruit. The intensity and verve of this wine illustrate the enduring value of old vines.
Lunar Apogé Pays D’oc
VARIETAL: 100% Syrah, estate grown
WINEMAKER: Christian Leperchois
VINEYARD: 12 acres of limestone, surrounded by garrigue scrublands
FARMING PRACTICES: Biodynamic. Dry farmed. No chemicals used (pesticides, fertilizers, additives, etc). Hand harvested at night to prevent oxidation.
WINEMAKING: Spontaneous, temperature controlled fermentation with native yeasts. Aged 4 months in concrete tanks. Minimally fined or filtered. Sulfites ≤50 mg/L.
Lunar Apogé is made in Roquemaure, France, where the Leperchois family has been making wine for centuries. In 1977, Christian Leperchois became a pioneer in his region by converting the estate to a fully organic/biodynamic process. His wine and the winery are certified 100% organic and biodynamic by Demeter.
Christian, an avid advocate of biodynamic farming, explains why he calls it ‘natural’ viticulture: “…great wines can only be produced by working with nature, not struggling against it… after 25 years of observations and occasionally bitter experience, there is no longer a place for the ethics of productivity in the natural equilibrium at Lunar Apogé.”
Christian is mindful of all of the vineyard’s natural surroundings, and takes inspiration from their rhythms. The vines are dry farmed and no chemicals are used (pesticides, fertilizer, additives, etc). Instead, composted grape pomace is used as fertilizer in the fall, plowed in by hand around the base of the vines. The vines are painstakingly cared for by hand throughout the year: vigorous pruning in the fall, disbudding in the spring and thinning of excess clusters in the. Finally, the grapes are harvested by hand.
In the winery, traditional methods are used to foster the most natural and complete embodiment of the fruits of the vine. Spontaneous fermentation takes place with native yeasts and the wines are minimally fined or filtered. Sulfites are ≤50 mg/L. The results are elegant, award winning wines – beautiful expressions of soil, place and the passion of the men and women who toil there
Jasper Raats Basket & Barrel Pinot Noir
Aroma Profile – Elegant and balanced, this cool-climate Pinot Noir offers aromas of raspberry, rose petal, wild oregano, and ripe red fruit. The palate is vibrant with tart cherry, citrus, and lavender, supported by herbaceous lift and bright acidity. Silky tannins and a rounded body lead to a lingering, umami-rich finish.
Terroir – Sourced from a mineral-rich site in the Helderberg, with excellent elevation and proximity to the cooling Atlantic breeze from False Bay just 5km away. These conditions contribute to refined acidity and delicate fruit expression. A minimal intervention philosophy in the vineyard allows each vintage to reflect its true character. Grapes are hand-harvested in the early morning for optimal freshness.
Viticulture – The vineyards are meticulously cared for by hand to ensure maximum quality. Organic and biodynamic practices are employed, which includes not using any pesticides, herbicides or chemical sprays. In addition, farm produced compost, teas and biodynamic preparations are employed.
Vinification – Fermented naturally in small open-top fermenters with no added enzymes, preservatives, or stabilizers. Following fermentation with indigenous yeasts, the wine was matured for 10–12 months in seasoned French oak. Crafted with integrity, this Pinot Noir is bottled unfined and unfiltered and may develop a harmless natural sediment over time. It drinks beautifully now but will reward thoughtful cellaring.
Origin: Helderberg, Stellenbosch
Winemaker: Jasper Raats