Iona Wines
Iona Wines
TheDrinkShop.com
: Iona Wines
The wines of Iona come from a dramatically unique site in the Cape Winelands.
The vineyards are on a mountain plateau 420 metres above sea level,
surrounded by the Kogelberg Nature Reserve, and overlooking the Atlantic
Ocean. In a country where cool sites are precious, these vineyards are
like gold – the grapes ripening up to two months later than other
Cape vineyards and in perfect balance. Iona is South Africa's coolest
vineyard site.
Andrew Gunn and family acquired this beautiful, but run-down apple
farm in 1997. It was renamed "IONA" after the remote, spiritual
island off the west coast of Scotland. The Gunn's can trace their ancestry
to the Vikings that landed in Scotland in the 900s, hence the Viking
longboat emblem on their labels.
Iona is run by a small team of highly motivated people. Due to South
Africa's social history, the workers were often excluded from decision-making
and ownership. When this property was revived as a wine farm in the
late 1990s, it was at a low ebb, as were the workers. This was turned
around by sharing the ownership and the responsibilities of the farm
with the permanent team working there.
The Vineyards
Iona is South Africa's coolest vineyard. The first vineyards were planted
in 1998, and research confirmed that with harvesting times up to 8 weeks
later than other Cape wine producing areas, Iona was unique. For example,
Sauvignon blanc is harvested in March and the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon
in April.
It has been called the one piece of South African land resembling Bordeaux,
but with the advantage over Bordeaux of 50% less rain in the harvesting
months, a slightly warmer April (equal to October in Bordeaux) and an
average growing season temperature of 17,5°C. This cool climate
ensures long, slow ripening of the grapes under ideal growing conditions,
with the sugar, pH, acid and flavour compounds in balance to produce
elegant and refined wines.
IONA - Noble Iona 2007
Grape Type: 100% Botrytis Sauvignon Blanc.
ABV: 12.0%.
Nose: The nose shows apricot, honey and almonds.
Palate: Entry the palate is rich and sweet and the wine appears to almost
evaporate on your tongue as the wonderful natural acidity balances the
sweetness. Finishing dry and long.
Winemaking: Conditions conducive to the development of botrytis in the
Klipkop vineyard over looking the sea 3km to the south, generally results
in some botrytis as a result of the late mist which drifts in from the
sea most afternoons. Warm dry days resulted in perfect conditions for
the development of botrytis in 2007. The grapes came in at 35 baling
with a near perfect analysis, similar to the great Sauternes.
Cellaring Potential: The wine promises to have very good ageing potential.
On Special Offer - Was £11.69 - Now £10.39
IONA - Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Grape Type: 100% Sauvignon Blanc.
ABV: 13.4%.
Nose: Strong mineral aromas with undertones of gooseberry, mango, quince
and lime zest.
Palate: A spicy entry, with a rich fruit driven midpalate and a long,
fresh grapefruit finish.
Winemaking: The wine was made in Iona's cellar on the farm from grapes
grown on the farm. The winemaker, Niels Verburg is a larger than life
character who at 6 ft 5 inches and 17 stone is a good match for Andrew
Gunn who grows the grapes. Niels, who was trained in South Africa and
has made wine in Chile, Australia, New Zealand and France, also makes
his own Luddite Shiraz in the Iona cellar. Grapes were harvested from
the 7th to 17th March according to the different clones and row directions.
Grapes were destemmed, crushed, pressed and settled for 24 hours (no
skin contact). With VIN 13, VIN 7 and a variety of French yeasts at
12 to 19°C, which took up to 28 days. Racked off the gross lees
after 1 month, sulphured up and remained on fine lees until blended,
bentonite fining, cold stabilised, filtered and bottled in the last
week of June.
Cellaring Potential: The wine is showing beautifully now but will continue
to develop in the bottle over the next 5 years.
On Special Offer - Was £11.69 - Now £10.39
IONA - Syrah 2006
Grape Type: 100% Syrah.
ABV: 14.1%.
Palate: Northern Rhone in style showing white pepper, savoury and red
fruit notes. Will suit carpaccio and anti-pasti, as well as a tomato-based
pasta; or try with barbequed meats.
Winemaking: Grapes were harvested in early May at an average of 25°C
Balling. The grapes were destemmed and sorted. The fermentation took
place in open fermenters with regular punch downs. Malolactic fermentation
took place in French oak barriques and spent another 12 months in the
barrels (25% new wood). Two rackings took place and the wine was bottled
unfiltered in August 2007.
The Vineyard: The Shiraz on Iona started as a nursery error ... When
the Cabernet Sauvignon was planted, unknown to winegrowers (and hopefully
the nursery!), they were supplied with approximately 600 Shiraz vines.
This was only discovered when they were ready to harvest their first
Cabernet Sauvignon and they found grapes interspersed in the vineyard
that were not quite ready. They were identified as Shiraz and left to
ripen and were harvested in early May 2004. The quality was outstanding
and as a result they planted another 4ha which will come into production
for the 2007 vintage.
On Special Offer - Was £14.59 - Now £12.82
IONA - The Gunnar 2005
Grape Type: 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot & 5% Petit Verdot.
ABV: 13.8%.
Palate: Ripe black cherries, roasted coffee beans and licorice flavours
with silky tannins and mineral undertones give this wine a distinctive
plushness and complexity on the palate, supported by Iona's characteristic
good natural acidity.
Winemaking: A blend of the famous Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Sauvignon
which is planted on well drained gravely soils, good for close knit
tannins, Merlot planted on alluvial clay based soils, giving the wine
its richness and Petit Verdot grown in quartz based soils contributing
to the deep colour. The wine is matured in French barriques for up to
24 months and then bottle aged in our cellars for a further 12 months
before release.
On Special Offer - Was £12.69 - Now £11.26
