Vondeling Rurale synonymous with Mèthode Ancestrale SA
WHY SPARKLING wine made according to the Mèthode Ancestral(e) is different relative to bubbly made the ‘traditional’ way – aka Champagne, Cava and Cap Classique – is that the fermentation involves a single, continuous process. From a stainless-steel tank, the fermenting wine is bottled and sealed at the point where there is just enough grape sugar remaining to make for a vibrant bubble without the pressure becoming explosive. So, unlike the ‘traditional’ method of making bubbly, for Ancestrale they don’t first make a base wine and then ferment it a second time in bottle. And no adding a bit of sugar or ‘liqueur’ wine after riddling either, although topping up with normal/dry wine prior to putting a cork into the bottleneck is fine.
It can be a tricky process, choosing the right time to bottle an Ancestral bubbly, and one can hardly speak about common practice when so few winemakers try their hand at it, let alone sell it on a regular basis. Vondeling of Voor Paardeberg on the Swartland side of Paarl were the pioneers of Mèthode Ancestrale in South Africa and today there are fewer than a dozen wineries in the country prepared to take the risk… “We firmly believe it to be the best way to make a premium bottle-fermented wine in our warm climate,” says Vondeling cellarmaster Matthew Copeland. “By fermenting only once we’re able to pick the grapes at a riper sugar content.” Compared to Mèthode Champenoise or Cap Classique, “this means at least two more weeks on the vine, ensures subtle varietal character and increases fullness.”
Rurale is the original name for what was later termed Mèthode Ancestrale by the French A.O.C. The first of its kind is thought to date back to the 1500s, before Champagne was first made in the late 17th Century. The category was first recognised in South Africa as recently as 2014, over 40 years after the advent of Cap Classique. The first Rurale from Julian Johnsen and Anthony Ward’s Vondeling wine farm to go on sale was the 2013, with the 2018 only the fifth vintage of this sparkler released to date (no 2017).
VONDELING RURALE 2018
WO Voor Paardeberg (Paarl). Méthode Ancestrale Brut sparkling wine from Chardonnay (80%) and Pinotage (20%). Matured on the lees (spent yeast) for three years before riddling and disgorging by hand over a period of weeks, topped with Vondeling’s flagship white blend Babiana from the 2013 vintage. 3300 bottles.
Alc 11.9 | RS 4.7 | TA 8.0 | pH 3.4
From the Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: Pale straw colour. Tiny, pearl-string bubbles; fine mousse. Aromas of lavender, honey, lime, crisp apple with freshly baked pastry and toasted almonds. On the creamy palate, bright and zippy, with vibrant acidity, fresh apple, pear, confected lemon and a rich, lingering aftertaste.
Producer’s Pairing Suggestions: smoked salmon, fennel-roasted trout, or fresh oysters with a squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper.
R295pb (750ml) ex-cellar.
