Country: South Africa  Region: Coastal Region  Vintage: 2015 Category: White Wine  Color: White   Varietal: White regional (non-Italian) Producer: Tim Martin Wines "We first met Tim Martin and tasted his wines at Cape Wine, on the back of recommendations from three people, one of them being Peter-Allan Finalyson of Crystallum. Under Tim’s ‘About Me’ page on his website, there is only one sentence that reads: “One day I decided that what I really wanted to do with my life was make wine”. Before that, Tim was working in the City. The financial crisis led him to study wine and eventually to make his first vintage in 2014. Tim’s vineyards are located in the Swartland (Qaisar and Chad) and Paarl (Mothership). Mothership, which he personally farms following biodynamic and Fukuoka practices, is in conversion to biodynamic certification. Qaisar is also farmed organically, while Chad is from a conventional vineyard. The wines are made with minimal intervention in an immaculate cellar located in Cape Town using traditional methods (basket press and spontaneous fermentations in large oak vats of 500-2000 litres). Chad is hand-harvested from 100% dry-farmed Chenin Blanc bush vines that are 30 years old. The grapes are crushed, basket pressed and then fermented in 2000 litre Austrian oak casks. The wine is kept on its lees for 11 months without battonage and racking, adding depth while maintaining purity. Qaisar is made solely from dry-farmed 18 year old Mourvèdre vines. The fruit is hand-harvested and whole-bunch pressed, and the must fermented in Burgundian open top oak vats with minimal punch downs for a light extraction. The wine spends 21 days on the skins before being racked into 228 and 500 litre old oak barrels for ageing on fine lees for 11 months. Mothership is made from old (55+ years) Chenin Blanc bush vines which are hand-harvested and fermented in new 1500 litre French oak casks. The wine is aged on its lees for 11 months before bottling. Tim’s first vintage is very impressive with a particularly elegant and fragrant Mourvèdre and two authentic expressions of Chenin Blanc from their respective regions. Chad is meant for youthful imbibing while Mothership, though stunning now, shows the concentration and intensity that will allow it to age.We are excited to add two new wines from Tim Martin this September. ‘Hitch’ is a Mourvedre from the Swartland. The grapes are sustainably farmed, grown on 15 year old, east-facing bush vines on iron-rich, granite soil. Whole bunches are fermented in a Burgundian style open-top wooden fermenter, the wine undergoes semi-carbonic maceration with gentle pigeage by foot every other day from day six. Beautiful, juicy red fruit and floral aromas are underpinned by a lovely subtle spice on the palate. The second addition is, ‘Bear’ a Tinta Barocca which comes from 40 year old vines grown on a mix of gravel and granite soil. Made in the same style as Hitch, this wine offers a lovely combination of floral, spice and brooding black fruit on the nose. The palate is well-structured with firm and fine tannins and a long, lifted finish." Product Features: Sustainable;Vegan;Vegetarian Product Allergens: Sulphites Label Winemaker: Tim Martin Vineyards: Fruit for this wine comes from a dry farmed bush vine vineyard, in WO Paarl, over 55 years old. The vines are grown on mixed soils - primarily decomposed granite, but with some clay, quartz and sandstone. Tim personally farms this vineyard following biodynamic and Fukuoka principles. The vineyard is currently in conversion to biodynamic agriculture. Vinification: The grapes were hand harvested and fermented in new 1,500 litre French oak casks. The wine was aged on lees for 11 months without battonage and underwent non-sterile filtration before bottling. Tasting Notes: Mothership is a beautifully authentic Chenin Blanc from Paarl. It is fresh and luscious with a citrus fruit character. It has excellent concentration and intensity which will allow it to age well in bottle. Closure: DIAM Cork  ABV:13%  Acidity [g/l]: 4.65