Deetlefs Familie White 2010

Going the distance.

Kobus Deetlefs, current owner of Breedekloof property Deetlefs, is the sixth generation of his family to farm here. His father Philip died in 1992 and whereas the farm had tended to supply bulk wine to what was then Stellenbosch Farmers’ Winery, Kobus set about restructuring the business to focus more on own label – today total area under vineyard is 100ha, the cellar processing around 1 100 tons a year and total production of Deetlefs wine amounting to around 55 000 cases a year.

As might be expected, there are various tiers to the range and the wines. The flagship wines are labelled “Deetlefs Familie” and the current white, which is a single-variety Semillon from the 2010 vintage, is particularly eye-catching.

Fermented and matured for 12 months in 300-litre French oak barrels, 50% new. Deep yellow in colour, it shows some development but is far from being in decline. It’s a properly complex wine with notes of lime, green plum and peach plus spice and a little nuttiness.  The palate meanwhile shows good depth of flavour and coated acidity before a savoury finish. Production was 2 000 bottles and the wine was not made again until the 2014 vintage. Price: R290 a bottle.

#WinemagRating: 91/100.

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