Bartinney launch their premium Skyfall Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 & Hourglass Chardonnay 2015

Bartinney Wine Estate, Stellenbosch is releasing two premium wines; Skyfall Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 and Hourglass Chardonnay 2015. The flagship small-batch releases, hero the depth and maturity of the high-altitude vines, they are crafted from the estates best hand-selected blocks. Balance and harmony is key; both within each and every bottle and in terms of the farms relationship with its unique and diverse surroundings.

With the unrivalled views and unique terroir, the Bartinney estate and wine range-‘Made on a Mountain’- has a strong sense of place. The Hourglass Chardonnay and Skyfall Cabernet Sauvignon champion the strength of this identity, cementing the close collaboration of Bartinney’s Owner Rose Jordaan, Viticulturist Logan Jooste and Winemaker Ronell Wiid. Their understanding of each vineyard block on the estate, has made it possible to craft exemplary wine. Truly great wine begins in the vineyard, and a truly great vineyard is founded in a diverse and healthy ecological environment.

The Skyfall and Hourglass vintages are the fingerprint of their respective harvests. Taking their names from the well-loved mountain trail, and a recently planted hourglass-shaped vineyard on the estate. They will propel sippers minds back to the outstanding biodiversity and unrivalled mountain views of Bartinney, wherever and whenever a bottle is uncorked.

 

Skyfall Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

As the name Skyfall alludes, the 18-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines drift down from the Banhoek skyline. The exquisite individual pockets reach up to 500m above sea level. Cabernet Sauvignon makes up 70% of the vines planted on the estate. It has taken years of care, to coax the absolute best ‘personality’ from the diverse parcels of vines. Each block is individually pruned and cared for to encourage character development, then separately harvested and vinified. After time in barrel, the team creates a blend of the best Cabernet Sauvignon to express the ‘fingerprint of the harvest’.

The first release of the 2012 Skyfall vintage is bright and rich, an expression of the excellent growing conditions of the season. The intensely flavoured, small berries were carefully hand sorted to give the finest expression of the terroir. Smooth and dense, with a crushed velvet mouth feel, Skyfall is bold and fresh, with well-structured tannins and excellent ageing potential. The wine spent 18 months in French oak, 70% of which was new.

 

Hourglass Chardonnay 2015

The 27-year-old Bartinney Chardonnay vineyard stretches from 350m to 550m above sea level. Premium Chardonnay grapes are cherry-picked from the best rows of robust vines, in the highest reaching parts of the vineyard. It takes its name from a new planting of exquisite estate Chardonnay established in 2014, which is naturally shaped like an hourglass. Used to ‘measure the passage of time’ the hourglass is an ode to patience. To craft the long awaited small-batch offering, the team nurtured the old vine Chardonnay for 5 years to produce the finest fruit. They now patiently wait for the new Hourglass vines to flourish.

The exceptional weather during the vintage was enhanced by 11 months ageing in small (225 Litre) French oak barrels, 60% of which were new. The barrels were gently rolled by Robertson, the cellar hand, twice a month for the first two months. The result, Hourglass, a wine that is rich and penetrating, with a subtle creaminess, offset by fresh citrus minerality. A versatile, food friendly wine, with excellent ageing potential.

 

Bartinney Background:

The wines join Bartinney Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Elevage in the range. Ronell Wiid, Bartinney’s winemaker, ensures that despite the small size of the estate and low yielding Bartinney vines, that the differences between each vine, block and vineyard are expertly blended. The result, wine that expresses both the estate and the story of the vintage.

Now under the ownership of Michael and Rose, Bartinney has been in the Jordaan family for four generations, since 1953. The Jordaans are on a mission to farm with the utmost respect for nature to preserve its bounty for generations to come. Bartinney works holistically to champion conservation, both on the estate and throughout the Banhoek Conservancy biosphere. Spearheaded by owner Rose Jordaan, Bartinney is carbon neutral, pesticide and herbicide free and a WWF Conservation Champion.

In the last few years, all invasive alien trees have been removed, replaced by 7,000 endemic trees. Re-established native fynbos provides nature corridors and habitats, encouraging the movement of endemic wild animals and insect species. Back in abundance is rich biodiversity, including porcupines, cape silver foxes, honey badgers and leopards, not to mention snakes and spiders. This approach does not stop at the farm gates. Rose is a founding member and trustee of the Banhoek Conservancy, whose goal is to socially and environmentally improve the valley. Increasing awareness to ensure sustainability for generations to come.

The winged figure on Bartinney’s bottle, called ‘Elevage’, is an expression of the liberated human form and symbolises the ‘French art of the selective maturation and ascension of a wine to its ultimate heights, unfurling its most noble traits’.

—

For images, please contact Rosie Crossman rosielouisecrossman@gmail.com more information and