Estate Reserve Cuvee Blanc

Enjoy with rich seafood and poultry dishes.

Tucked into the foothills of a dramatic mountain range at the bottom of Africa is Lismore Estate Vineyards. Californian Samantha O'Keefe has found paradise and the perfect terroir. Her passion combined with vines planted at 300 meters chilled by the winter snow and nourished by the African summer sun produce classic cool climate wines which are rich complex and lovingly hand crafted.

The vineyards are planted in decomposed shale over clay at 300 meters in the foothills of the Sonderend Mountain Range. A low mean February temperature lends to an extended ripening period that can put harvest 3-4 weeks later than traditional wine growing regions in South Africa. The intense citrus notes and the lingering finish are consistent trademarks of Lismore's specific terroir.

The Cuvée blanc is a blend of 90% Roussanne, 5% Viognier, 5% Chardonnay. The Roussanne, which was planted in 2016, was cut back just above the graft after the fire in 2019 and has grown back beautifully. The grapes were whole bunch pressed, cold settled for 24 hours and then racked into 500- and 600-liter Burgundian barrels for fermentation and 11 months of maturation. 100% Spontaneous (natural) yeasts were allowed for fermentation. 5% new French oak.