Ginny is from Boston in America; she decided to pack her bags and leave her former life behind her in order to pursue a new vocation- making wine. Before she bought her farm she had no formal wine making experience or training. She learnt through weekend courses and a whole lot of intuition, completing her first harvest in 2008. She is now making award winning wines which is a testament to her endeavor and bravery. We met at her beautiful guesthouse 'Sugarbird Manor' to taste through her wines in peaceful tranquility as the pitter-patter of the rain and her dozing cats created an ambiance of shelter and safety from the elements.
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| View from Sugarbird Manor |
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| Tasting Room |
Mary Delaney Collection Chenin Blanc 2013
100% Chenin Blanc sourced from the much revered Skurfberg mountain. The wine was harvested when the grapes were extremely ripe, and has an alcohol level sitting at 14%. Half of the wine was aged in 400 litre oak barrels with the other half in stainless steel tank, blended together before bottling. There is rich, opulent fruit on the nose with crisp citrus and refreshing white pear mingling with fleshy mango and peach. A lush, weighty mouthfeel is nicely balanced by a taut acidity.
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| Chenin Blanc 2013 |
The labels on the bottles are inspired by the artwork of Mary Delaney, who created the images on Ginny's packaging in the 1700s from tiny pieces of cut paper. Fortunately, Ginny managed to obtain a license to use the artwork on her labels.
Mary Delaney Collection Pinot Noir 2013
Deep in colour for a Pinot Noir, once again the opulent fruit of the wine stands out. Juicy red strawberry and cherry are layered beneath alluring notes of tart rhubarb and damson. An understated wood influence provides complexity, with subtle tannin giving a structural grip on the finish. 13% alcohol.
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| Pinot Noir 2013 |
Big Flower 2015
A rosé made from a blend of Chenin Blanc and Petit Verdot. Pale salmon in the glass, the nose is pronounced and juicy with expressive guava and grapefruit aromas being followed by mouthwatering watermelon and strawberry. The wine had been open for three days and was still showing very well: clean, fresh and fun to drink.
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| Big Flower 2015 |
Only just bottled and not yet labelled, made from Merlot grapes grown on Ginny's farm. The clay soils suit Merlot, and the grapes were picked at 3 different times to get a balance of acidity and riper flavours. The farm is small, only 5 hectares and Ginny farms intensively and organically. The wine has an abundance of primary fruit on the nose, with plum and dark cherry standing out. A smooth, soft entry and rich mouthfeel is given a structural backbone by grippy tannins.
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