DELHEIM’S AWARD-WINNING EDELSPATZ NOBLE LATE HARVEST IS BACK
For two long years, drought has kept Delheim from making its famed Edelspatz noble late harvest wine. This vintage however, the wine that’s widely regarded as one of South Africa’s best dessert wines, is finally back.
The popular Rhine Riesling can only be made in years when nature provides conditions that are ideal for its production. Noble late harvest wine requires the natural occurrence of a vineyard fungus, Botrytis cinerea, that removes water from grapes and leads to the concentration of sugars and flavours. This desirable “noble rot” relies on wet and humid conditions, which are unlikely during drought.
Edelspatz’s heritage and award-winning excellence, combined with this vagary of nature, make the wine’s arrival always eagerly awaited.
Drought put paid to Edelspatz in 2016 and 2017 – the first time since Delheim started producing this wine in 1979 that it was absent for two consecutive years.
According to Delheim winemaker Altus Treurnicht, important contributors to this year’s harvest being realised was the occurrence of sufficient water at necessary periods during fruit development; and, leaf-cover that trapped moisture and encouraged the ideal micro-climate.
The 2018 harvest took place from March 28 to May 17, concluding at the start of autumn.
The Delheim Edelspatz Noble Late Harvest is traditionally made from a single 33-year-old vineyard that only yields around three tons of grapes per hectare. The last vintage, the sold-out 2015, achieved amongst other accolades, five stars in Platter’s South African Wine Guide.
The 2018 vintage is available in a 375ml bottle at R285 each.
For more information or direct wine orders contact Delheim Estate at tel: 021 888 4600 or email: marketing@delheim.com. Orders can be placed from end of August.