Technical Specifications
Alcohol 12.5%
Residual Sugar 1.9 g/L
pH 3.51
Total Acidity 4.9 g/L
Calories (estimated) 105 kcal / glass
150ml glass105 kcal
750ml bottle525 kcal
Grape Varieties Semillon Blanc, Semillon Gris
Semillon Blanc
Semillon Gris
Region Western Cape
Soil Alluvial soils
Sites Franschhoek, Swartland
Vine Age 32 years old, 4 years old
Production Details The colour of the wine is unusual, having taken some bright copper tones from its time on skins. The nose is striking, with a briney, oyster-bed note coming out under subtle red fruit, citrus peel and red and white peppercorn notes. The interplay between savoury and sweet is a key point of interest in Tin Soldier, and makes for a subtle and engaging wine. The palate is finely structured, with fresh acidity and full flavours of strawberry leaf, sweet herbs and pink peppercorn. It is dry and delicate, while at the same time showing a core of richness and depth. The Semillon gris appeals to me simply because it is incredibly South African in that no significant plantings are found anywhere else in the world. As it is, it is extremely rare now in South African vineyards, and we were obliged to pick small amounts from vines dotted around in an old white Semillon vineyard. The one thing I wanted to avoid was making a 'gimmick' wine. In the run up to the first harvest I was still considering what my approach might be and while walking through the vineyard and tasting the grapes, I began to formulate an idea of fermenting white and red Semillon together on their skins to build a structure into the wine and hopefully extract some of that wonderful colour. Fermenting a white wine on skins extracts some grape tannins which a lot of modern white winemaking tends to avoid. It's truly a wine we love. All of our wines take their names from archetypal childrens' toys, and Tin Soldier takes its name from Semillon's status as the old footsoldier of the South African Industry. Much like the old toy soldiers buried in the garden, Semillon has been reduced to a mere shadow of its former glory days in the Cape.
Tasting Notes
Nose: briney, oyster-bed, red fruit, citrus peel, red peppercorn, white peppercorn
Palate: strawberry leaf, sweet herbs, pink peppercorn
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Producer Information
Website
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Owner
John and Tasha Seccombe
Cellarmaster
John Seccombe