STELLENBOSCH-based wine estate Quoin Rock has released its maiden vintage, limited edition Blanc de Blanc 2009 Méthode Cap Classique (MCC) of which only 1 800 bottles have been produced. Made from 100% Chardonnay, this elegant MCC is guaranteed to take pride of place in any cellar or at any social gathering this festive season.
With a remarkable vintage in 2009 producing excellent grapes with good composition, Quoin Rock believed it was worth creating something special and felt it appropriate to age the wine. Only the best grapes were used from the Chardonnay blocks of the estate’s Elim farm, where the grapes where carefully picked early in the day and immediately taken to Quoin Rock’s cellar to be processed. Great care was taken to keep the fruit and the produced juice cold in an effort to preserve the fruit aromas. After the clean juice was racked to old French oak barrels, the team patiently allowed the natural fermentation to take its course.
The base wine spent approximately seven months in these barrels to age before being blended and bottled. After secondary fermentation in accordance with the strict guidelines of producing an MCC, the wine was left to mature on the lees. Each month the wine was tasted and monitored by the Quoin Rock winemakers until they were completely happy with the composition and taste. The perfect bottle of MCC was disgorged no less than 103 months later. A further two years of bottle maturation resulted in a special, limited edition bottle of MCC with depth and complexity that was well worth the wait.
Winemaker Schalk Opperman describes the Blanc de Blanc as “super fine”, and the delicate mousse with tiny persistent bubbles is noticeable at first glance. As first impressions are usually the lasting ones this wine is an elegant example of the superb MCCs emerging from the Cape Winelands, and in particular the Quoin Rock wine estate.
On the nose the brioche and buttery aromas are evident, which are classic characteristics for wine which has spent an extended period on the lees. These flavours are supported by fresh citrus and lime characters and minerality, which gives this wine a beautiful, complex, lingering and refreshing palate.
Cellared in the correct conditions this MCC has the potential to age for another 20 years from date of vintage. This limited edition will only be released by the Stellenbosch based wine farm every 10 years making the long wait well worth every sip.
Although perfect on its own, Opperman suggests pairing the Blanc de Blanc 2009 with salmon tartare, oysters, or sushi. It is available only at the tasting room or through the Quoin Rock website for R2 500 per bottle.