Winemaker Notes
The 2021 Skerpioen follows the salt trail on the West Coast. The usual very saline mineral qualities and hints of honey blossom carry through into gripping chalky tannins and firm acidity. This 2021 bottling carries much of its aromatic profile onto the palate.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
An instant delight, the 2021 Old Vine Series Skerpioen is bright and salty with a citrus-focused nose that offers soft notions of white flowers and sea spray. Medium-bodied, the wine compresses on the palate and shows energetic acidity with flavors of white spiced tea, lemon pith and citrus blossom before ending with a food-friendly, mineral-laced finish. It’s a brilliant wine that will find synergistic effects from being paired with food. Best After 2023 Rating : 94+
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
Literally meaning "the black land," Swartland takes its name from the endangered, indigenous "renosterbos" (translating to rhino bush), which used to be plentiful enough to turn the entire landscape a dark color certain during times of year. The district, attracting some of the most adventurous and least interventionist winemakers, excels in robust and full-bodied reds as well as quality fortified wines.