On a cool November morning, there’s a buzz in the Waterford Estate wine cellar. Today, a 2017 Chardonnay is being bottled. The aim? To allow for a second process of fermentation in the bottle and, ultimately, the production of 4,000 bottles of sought-after, seductive Waterford MCC.
The day before bottling, winemaker Mark le Roux warns that emotions could run high in the cellar. This is the last step in the wine-making process that can be controlled, and Mark is anxious. Over several months, he worked side by side with viticulturist and good friend David van Schalkwyk, tending to the grapes, overseeing the harvest, nurturing the wine, and planning the end product with great care. A lot hinges on the success of the day.
David explains that, in South Africa, Méthode Cap Classique or MCC is usually produced from Pinot Noir, Meunier and/or Chardonnay – grape varietals that are fairly easy to grow and which offer only subtle fruit notes, especially when picked early in the season. The Chardonnay grapes used to produce the 2017 Blanc de Blanc MCC were all sourced from a 10-year-old block on the estate, and harvested early in the summer of 2017 to allow for the production of a neutral, dry white wine (the so-called “base wine”).
The grapes spent approximately 26 days fermenting, after which it was aged for a further 9 months in stainless-steel tanks. Using oak barrels were out of the question, Mark says, as wood flavours tend to overpower the delicate, unique character of the grapes. And at Waterford Estate, the team’s goal is clear: all wines produced have to be an honest expression of the terroir – the rich, fertile environment in which the grapes are grown.
Despite warnings of slightly inappropriate language, a sense of deep concentration and silent camaraderie reigns among the team on bottling day. Bottles are swiftly added to the production line, filled with wine (and just enough sugar and yeast to allow for a fresh new round of fermentation), plugged, capped, and carefully packed in wooden crates. Safely secured with the