Name: Chateu Naude Le Vin de Francois 2008
Brand: Chateau Naude
Price: 160 EUR
Availability: InStock

Chateu Naude Le Vin de Francois 2008

The magnum opus of South African winemaking. Le Vin de François is the ultimate South African wine, always from a specific vintage. It is always a wine from the Pinotage grape variety, created each year from several different terroirs. François Naudé st. is known as the "father of Pinotage". The wine has a deep and dense colour with an attractive dark ruby rim. The nose is soft but open, with rich character and notes of black cherry, pencil shavings, plum and blackcurrant, complemented by notes of compote red berry fruit. Compact and sleek on the palate, with stylish tannins, it opens up to reveal flavors of black fruit and dark chocolate wrapped in notes of Christmas candy. The rich and complex finish, typical of Le Vin de François, shows length, incredible balance and refined lingering flavours.

2008 / 0.75l / 14.5% / Stellenbosch - South Africa

About the winery

Francois Naudé Sr. finished his career in 2005 as cellar master of the famous L'Avenir Wine Estate. Since the next harvest, he has worked as a consultant for his friends and South Africa's most famous winery. It was then that his dream was born. To produce the perfect South African wine of a particular vintage; a 'creme de la creme' that would have all the characteristics of something great - unique, exclusive and with a touch of magic. And so he didn't get his clients to pay him money, but instead he requested a specific single barrel of Pinotage from the winery each vintage since 2007, which he was involved in producing.

The vines were grown on different soils, with different slopes, altitudes and microclimates. All activities were carried out in close collaboration with Francois - from the vineyard practices to the selection of grapes for harvest, fermentation and the entire cycle of aging in small oak barrels. Each ingredient, in whatever percentage, had a role to play in producing a classic wine that had power, complexity and elegance and embodied the 'perfect Pinotage' as Francois himself put it. The individual barrels (between one and three from each producer) were then all taken to a central cellar where the final blend was created, fine-tuned and prepared for bottling. Only the highest quality bottles and corks were used to ensure the long ageing ability of this unique and small-production wine. In the end, seven different wines from five different producers were used in the first vintage of 'Le Vin de Francois 2007'.

Stellenbosch lies just 40 km east of Cape Town. The Simonsberg Mountains to the north separate it from Paarl, while the Hottentot Holland Mountains to the east separate it from Walker Bay. False Bay lies approximately 20 km to the south. Granite and sandstone soils are found throughout Stellenbosch. Due to their high clay content they have excellent water retention properties, although they are free draining.

Sufficient winter rainfall allows growers to keep irrigation to a minimum. Much has been made of the suitability of the soils in Stellenbosch for growing particularly premium red wine grapes. The climate in the area is relatively hot and dry, although the influence of the False Bay sea is evident in the south. In the afternoons, the vineyards are buffeted by a cool south-easterly wind, which refreshes the grapes after the hot morning sun. White wine varieties are often planted closer to the ocean where this effect is more pronounced.