Rijk’s Estate – MCC Brut

Cultivar

100% Chardonnay

Characteristics

Bottle fermented sparkling wine. Complex, crisp and elegant.

Tasting Notes

The Rijk’s Brut has a vibrant green/yellow hue with a very fine persistent mousse. The nose shows lovely freshness of lemon zest and lightly toasted brioche. The palate is well balanced with a yeast complexity that broadens the palate, an elegant structure and fine mousse which imparts a gentle explosion of bubbles and leaves a long finish.

In the Vineyard

Soil: Low yielding, well drained vertical shale/schist.
Yield: 6.0 tons/Ha.
Aspect: Easterly facing slope.

Harvest

Grapes were night harvested; picked by hand to retain flavours.

Cellar Practices

Grapes were whole bunch pressed in our pneumatic press on a champagne programme – very long and gentle pressing. 100% of the base wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks, and lay on the lees for 12 months before it was bottled. The base wine went through 100% malo-lactic fermentation before bottling. After a controlled 2nd fermentation in the bottle to create the magical sparkle, an extended 36 months period of yeast contact was given to ensure maximum development of this exceptional sparkling wine.

Ageing Potential

15 Years after vintage

Serving Temperature

Recommended to be served at 10°C

Analysis