TOKARA Methode Cap Classique Blanc de Blanc 2011
This bubbly has a vibrant light golden hue with a hint of green in the colour. The mousse is exceptionally fine and consistent. The aromas are those of freshly baked brioche, fresh apples and a hint lemon blossom. The fine bubbles explode in your mouth upon entry. The palate is mouth filling with flavours of toasted almonds, freshly buttered toast, lemon and lime preserve with a long finish, which hints of a slightly saline mineral note. This leaves one wanting to take another sip. This wine drinks well now but will benefit from ageing until 2027.

• Alc. Vol (%): 12.0%
• Residual Sugar: 4.4g/L
• Total Acidity: 8.0g/L
• p H: 3.19

ORIGIN
This bubbly is made from 100% Chardonnay from grapes grown on Tokara’s Elgin property, Highlands.

SOILS
The soils are quartzitic in nature derived from Table Mountain Sandstone.

SLOPES
The slope is a Northerly aspect at an altitude 425 m above sea level.

CROPPING AND HARVESTING
The vines are cropped at 6 tons per hectare. The leaves in the bunch zone are striped to expose the fruit to sunlight to help reduce acidity. The grapes were picked in mid-March by hand in 2 separate pickings at sugars between 17 and 19 degrees brix and 12 to 14 g/l acid.

WINEMAKING
The grapes were whole bunch pressed after a night in the cold room. Only the first free run juice was pressed (500 l/tonne) to tank for overnight settling with minimal SO2 added. The juice was racked to old 228 litre barrels for fermentation. After fermentation the wine was topped and remained in barrel with regular lees stirring for maturation. The wine went through 100 % Malolactic fermentation. After which it was sulphured and left to mature further. The base wine spent a total of 15 months maturing before blending and being bottled for the second fermentation in June 2012. The resultant bubbly spent a further 48 months on the lees maturing before being disgorged and corked. The bubbly then spent a further 17 months under cork before being released.

TASTING NOTES
This bubbly has a vibrant light golden hue with a hint of green in the colour. The mousse is exceptionally fine and consistent. The aromas are those of freshly baked brioche, fresh apples and a hint lemon blossom. The fine bubbles explode in your mouth upon entry. The palate is mouth filling with flavours of toasted almonds, freshly buttered toast, lemon and lime preserve with a long finish, which hints of a slightly saline mineral note. This leaves one wanting to take another sip. This wine drinks well now but will benefit from ageing until 2027.

• Food pairing: Best drunk on its own as an aperitif and perfectly suited for any occasion.