Windfall Wine Farm, a boutique winery, located in Robertson
district is a relatively unknown MCC producer, not only it is their maiden
vintage, there were recognized for producing an exceptional and Highly
Recommended Gold Medal MCC, at the 2013 Amorim Tsogo Sun Cap Classique Challenge with a production of around 1500 bottles of a
finely textured vintage Chardonnay Brut, limited availability, but sufficient
for those making the effort to seek it out, it is currently only available
locally, not yet internationally, great value at R 120/bottle
Windfall is a family owned farm that started out small with only 3 varietals. We have slowly introduced new wines into our range and this includes our MCC. Our first vintage was in 2006 and this MCC is our first. We like to make small volumes of above average style, and have had lots of fun developing new wines and blends to add to our range.
Explain us your viticultural approach and philosophy, as we all know, it’s all starts in the dirt to make very good to great wines?
Our approach is simple with the well known basics: Medium production, leaf/canopy management, water management as well as pest /weed control, and last but not least, passion.
Viticulturist are very often the unsung heroes of the South African wine industry and we all know, demanding style such as MCC, needs optimum grape quality, tell us more about your viticulturist?
Jaco de Wet is a well experienced vineyard/wine farmer. You will notice him with a blue overall, Tarzan shoes and always in a hurry on Yamaha Field motor-bike to organize and delegate every-one. He is very hands-on and takes no nonsense. THAT CREATES THE PERFECT VINE.
MCC’s will never be Champagne, however the quality are of a very high standards and represents some of the very best value bottle sparkling wine in the world, tell us more about the climate and soil your grapes come from?
Windfall’s Chardonnay grows in sandy, alluvial and Table mountain sandstone soils. Mostly with minimum water retention, with irrigation taking place every second day, this is all dependent on the climate. Our cool days are roughly 25-28 degrees and the warmer days 30-32 in January to Feb. Around 16:00 almost daily there are cooling breezes which roll down the southern slopes and cool the vineyards slightly, the temperature can drop to about 15 degrees early morning.
Do you have any preferences over site specific, i.e Estate / region/district/ward wine of origin over Western Cape / Coastal Region blends, if so give us more details?
I have noticed in my experience that vine’s and the wine produced benefit greatly when slopes and mountains are combined and all the best attributes of both are considered carefully with the desired wine in mind. I am familiar with the elements in the Robertson area and I am happy with the elegant wines we are producing.
How long you have been making MCC?
Since 2007
How many styles of MCC’s you produce under your brand?
We only have the one currently.
Tell us more about your winning MCC and it’s winemaking process as well as the percentage blends if any making the final wine?
100% Chardonnay, first free run, 19 Balling, on the lees for 6 years.
What is your view on Reserve wine added prior to dosage, what would be your average percentage, if any use in your house style?
No Reserve wine, maturation in glass is suitable for Windfall.
What MCC style are your aiming for?
A Full-bodied, rich in flavour MCC with bright acid and balanced dosage
With the new emerging market locally preferring wines with higher residual sugar, what is your philosophy on dosage and where do you draw the line?
Residual Sugars of 12 to 14 with medium acid is well balanced is best suited to my wine making style, as well as leaving the MCC to age and to not drink it too soon.
What are the source / origin of the grape(s) used in the winning wine?
Windfall, Robertson, Western Cape
Stylistically, where do you intend taking the wine in the next 5 to 10 years?
As this is our first vintage and we are happy with the outcome, we will most likely keep to our current style.
Top local on trade customers supporting the wines or where can your MCC be found to be purchased and enjoy?
Franschhoek wines, La Verne, Ashton R62, For the Love of Wine in PE, as well as direct orders from Bianca or from our website.
Your favorite food pairings or recommendation to be enjoyed with your winning MCC?
Cheese, olives, seafood dishes. Nothing too spicy or dominating to take away the freshness of the MCC. Superb on its own too!
What is the average selling of your MCC’s, cellar door / retail?
R 120
