Klein Amoskuil The Amos Block Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Klein Amoskuil The Amos Block Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Klein Amoskuil
$29.00

Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2023
Type: White

This white wine is a skin-contact sauvignon blanc sourced from dry-land bush vines in the Swartland region of South Africa. The hand-harvested grapes undergo an intentional brief skin maceration prior to pressing, followed by a native yeast fermentation in neutral containers. Winemaking prioritizes low-intervention techniques, allowing the wine to mature on its fine fermentation lees to naturally build texture without wood dominance. This zero-makeup process focuses on capturing a unique regional density balanced by high natural acidity.

It pours a pale straw color with gold highlights, releasing clear aromatics of zesty citrus fruit and white orchard blossoms. On the palate, a medium-bodied frame balances sunny South African ripeness with a distinct saline mineral core. The brief skin contact provides a subtle structural grip along with a velvety mouthfeel. A clean thread of natural acidity cuts right through the center, keeping the wine focused. It finishes with an ultra-long, clean persistence.

Winery

Situated just outside Malmesbury in South Africa’s Swartland, Klein Amoskuil is an expansive 400-hectare historic farm that has evolved from an old tobacco property into a dedicated site for organic, dry-farmed viticulture. Acquired in 1997 by Charles Back—initially serving as the founding home of the Spice Route project—the estate features roughly 80 hectares of certified organic, unirrigated bush vines rooted in weathered shale and granite soils. The property is most celebrated for housing South Africa’s oldest sauvignon blanc block, planted in 1965. In recent years, Klein Amoskuil has developed its own independent identity, dividing production between parcel-focused organic bottlings—including a flor-aged perpetual reserve from the 1965 bush vines—and its "Obscura" natural range, which relies on subterranean clay qvevri for prolonged skin macerations ranging from several weeks to 6 months. Fermentations occur spontaneously with native yeasts without commercial additives, fining, or filtration, resulting in textured, phenolics-driven wines that capture the sun-baked warmth and mineral grit of the Swartland interior..

The Amos Block, which turned out to be the oldest block of Sauvignon Blanc in South Africa.