The grapes come from the Coastal Region of South Africa. The area is renowned for the top white wines made from low yielding dryland vineyards. The area is close to the ocean which allows for a long, cool growing season. Production is low due to the dry, cool conditions. All our growers are Fairtrade certified.
The grapes are picked at full ripeness of between 23 and 24 Balling. They are then destemmed and the juice is separated by gentle pressing. The grape juice is settled overnight and then racked from the lees. It is then inoculated with cultured yeast and fermented at temperatures of between 12 and 14°C to allow for a long slow fermentation process which adds mouthfeel to the wine. After the fermentation is completed the wine remain on the lees for 3 weeks to add further complexity.
The alcohol is then carefully removed with a vacuum spinning cone process, which allows the alcohol to be removed without affecting the integrity of the wine.
The result is a crisp yet fruity wine with hints of citrus and freshly cut grass on the nose. Cognato White is a perfect alternative for seafood dishes, chicken or as a pre-dinner non-alcoholic drink.
