Unpacking Mariëtte's Award-Winning Chenin Blanc: An Insight into Her Winemaking Style
Meet our award-winning Breedekloof Maker, Mariëtte Stofberg Coetzee. We recently sat down with her to ask a few questions about her award-winning Mariëtte Chenin Blanc 2020 and her winemaking philosophy to create this exceptional wine. Here she reveals some of her secrets:
1. Could you tell us about your latest wine release? What makes it unique or special?
It’s made from a particular old vineyard on the farm, and it was 35 years old with the 2020 vintage. There are two clones in this vineyard, and we only harvest the clone with the more open bunches. These bunches get to ripen thoroughly without rotting. The other clone’s bunches are more vulnerable to rot. We select only the best of the best grapes for this wine. The vineyard is planted on alluvial sandstone soils with many rock fragments. The vineyard stresses because of the rocky soils, which concentrate the grapes' flavour.
2. What inspired you to create this particular wine? Is there a story behind it?
Chenin Blanc is ‘n big part of the Breedekloof region and our estate. It is the most planted grape on the farm. I wanted to showcase the most special Chenin Blanc vineyard on the farm. The wine is called Mariëtte and is part of the winemaker’s signature range. There are similarities between Mariëtte and the style of this wine. The wine has a lot of personality and bold fruit flavours, but while still elegant with a touch of oak – it always stands out in a lineup because the flavours will jump out of the glass.
3. Can you walk us through the winemaking process for this specific release? Any unique techniques or approaches you used?
We are sorting the best grapes in the vineyards. Hand harvested and lightly pressed, allowed to settle overnight, then racked and fermented at 10-12C until 10 Balling. The fermentation is then finished in barrels. I use 20% new oak; the rest is second fill, all 225-litre French oak. The wine is kept on the lees for the whole maturation period of 9 months, only racked when we prepare the wine for bottling. During the first three months, we bâtonnage it weekly to add complexity to the wine. After bottling, it is kept another year in the bottle before release.
4. How would you describe this wine's flavour profile and characteristics? What can consumers expect when they taste it?
Soft floral and tropical fruit aromas like honeysuckle and melon on the nose and lightly wooded elegance with undertones of vanilla and spice. The palate is loaded with stone fruit, figs, and a hint of citrus, culminating in a crisp acidity and long finish.
5. Your Mariëtte Chenin Blanc 2020 has won several awards. Could you share some of the notable accolades that your wines have received?
Michelangelo GOLD Award 2020
WineMag Prescient Chenin blanc report 2021 – Score 91
Platter Guide 4.5 star 2022 (93 points)
IWSC Gold Medal 2022 (95 points)
6. What do you believe sets your wines apart from others in the industry, leading to the recognition and awards they have received?
This wine performs well year after year. Some other vintages won Double Gold at Veritas and Michelangelo awards and the Chenin Blanc trophy at Michelangelo 2019. The wine is unique because the vineyard is exceptional and produces fruit that makes a complex, full-bodied wine that is still elegant. That is a combination which is hard to find.
7. How do you balance tradition and innovation in your winemaking practices?
I have two wine ranges to balance it. Our Belle range is the estate, beautiful and traditional. The Rebelle range is more innovative, with different winemaking techniques and quirky labels. I did not want to change the Mariëtte Chenin blanc and kept it traditional. Instead, I made another Chenin blanc called Intrepid. I used older barrels, second and third fill and blended in 5% skin contact fermented Chenin blanc. Intrepid means the Brave sheep because, in the Breedekloof, we stand together like a flock of sheep, as do our vineyards which are trellised and standing together.
8. Can you tell us about your overall wine philosophy? What drives you to create the wines you do?
My dad has always been a quality-orientated farmer, never quantity before quality. All his grapes used to go to a cooperation cellar and blended with Chenin blanc from other farmers who did not always have the same mindset. I wanted to highlight the hard work and passion that goes into the grapes by making single vineyard wines.
9. Do you follow specific rituals or practices when crafting your wines?
No, keep a close eye on the wine and ensure it stays healthy, do as little as possible to it and let it be.
10. How do you approach sustainability in your winery? Are there any specific initiatives or practices you have implemented?
I moved to lighter-weight bottles because it’s better for the environment, and what matters is inside the bottle.
11. Could you share some insights into the selection process for the grapes used in your wines? What qualities are you looking for?
I am lucky to have good quality all around on the estate. I look for older vineyards with good balance, smaller crop sizes and smaller bunches with more flavour and complexity.
12. Are there any particular challenges you have faced during the winemaking process, and how did you overcome them?
I remember 2016 was strange, with much more pulp in the wines. I do settle my wines naturally before I rack them to start the fermentation. For settlement, 24 hours is usually enough, but after 48 hours, I realized something was wrong. There was much more pulp, resulting in the wine not being clear at the racking stage like it usually is. Ultimately, I climbed over the tank and racked the wine from the top!
13. How do you ensure consistency in the quality of your wines year after year?
Stick to what I know is working, do not overthink it and trust your nose and pallet.
14. Looking ahead, do you have any exciting plans or projects in the pipeline that you would like to share?
Our first vintage estate pot still brandy will be released after 100 months in the barrel at the end of this year.
