Springfield
Garuzis Brut
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Brut
Garuzis, a magical place in what is today known as Etosha – then without borders or fences – where our great-grandmother grew up in the wild.
We celebrate our heritage, and her free spirit, with the Garuzis Brut, made using the traditional method and aged for 30 months on the lees before degorgement.
Notes of fresh granny smith apple, lime, and white peaches are beautifully complimented by hints of brioche, honey, and almonds and a zesty freshness.
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Life From Stone
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Sauvignon Blanc
Life from Stone derives its name from the incredibly rocky soils in which it is grown. Every year the vineyard battles against nature in order to produce highly concentrated, powerful wines with a flinty, mineral character true to the quartz rock in which it is grown. Monumental human effort was required to plant the vines – implements destroyed, and, in the case of the older vineyards, dynamite deployed. A true expression of the site’s terroir, this wine will drink well now, or can be enjoyed in the next 2-3 years.
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Special Cuvée
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Sauvignon Blanc
Originating from 35-year-old vines rooted in sandy alluvial soil in the estates riverine area, this cuvée, or blend, is achieved by two pickings – one earlier in the harvest and another slightly later. Grown in the estate’s prime site for Sauvignon, this results in a complex wine, with a sensuous combination of passion fruit, nettles and minerality. Will mature beautifully for 2-4 years.
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White Blend
Miss Lucy is one of the seven nicknames given to the Red Stumpnose by the fisherman of the Southern Cape. Like many other marine species, the Miss Lucy has been over-exploited and is now critically endangered. Created as an ode to the bounty of the sea, Miss Lucy can turn the many other delights safe to grace our tables, into a celebration of the ocean. Only a salty breeze and a sunny day can improve what is already a perfect match. This unique blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Gris bursts with citrus pamplemousse flavours and an ample mouth feel, yet remarkably moderate in alcohol.
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Miss Lucy
Albariño
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Albarino
We first discovered Albariño many years ago on our travels. Though many bottles of wine were drunk, it was the memory of the Albariño that stayed with us long after we returned home. Over several years, the single bundle of vines we received from a fellow producer was slowly multiplied until a full vineyard was planted, and the crop it bore did not disappoint the memory of that magical wine we tasted so long ago…
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Wild Yeast Chardonnay
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Chardonnay
True to its moniker, the Wild Yeast Chardonnay is fermented using the native, wild yeasts that occur naturally on the skins of the grapes. Unwooded, it is fermented in underground cement tanks in a slow, volatile process that can take anywhere between 6 – 9 months. This method, although risky, results in incredibly expressive wine with a wisdom that is unattainable in wines made using commercial yeasts. Can be enjoyed for the next 3- 4 years.
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Méthode Ancienne - Chardonnay
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Chardonnay
Springfield Estate Méthode Ancienne Chardonnay is in the ancient style of Burgundy, rarely is this technique with wild yeast and no fining/filtration used in the new world. Thus, a wine of distinctive and classical character, it will develop slowly and is made to last (we hope) a lifetime. Nuances of lime, cointreau and oranges – a big wine with classical character!
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Whole Berry Cabernet
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Cabernet Sauvignon
In order to achieve a luscious, juicy wine, we try to have as little intervention in the cellar as possible. Simply de-stemmed, the whole, uncrushed bunches are transported using only a gravity flow system. Whole berry maceration is followed by fermentation with natural yeasts, racking and one year’s maturation in oak barrels. The result is a velvety wine with softer tannins and classical varietal characteristics. This traditional wine is unfiltered and unfined, which may deposit sediment and might require decanting.
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Méthode Ancienne - Cabernet
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Cabernet Sauvignon
Thirty five years ago we cleared a 2,8ha triangle of land previously ignored, because it was not “good” enough. Too rocky and nearly too steep, infested with thorns, with the odd abandoned ox wagon under some trees. It was Cabernet Sauvignon and our thirst for it that drove us to this forsaken place.
Our vines did grow, struggling at first – virtually no soil, roots had to creep past rocks; they took much longer to bear than others, but eventually did. The miracle was in the fruit. Tiny berries – intense in colour and flavour, this meagre crop was vinified in the traditional way. No crushing of berries, no yeast but that from their skins, no fining- additives and no filters. Wine made by itself, kept for two years in the best new French-oak barrels, fit for this wonder.
Finally we could bottle, but the agony was not yet over. After three more years’ wait for maturation in bottles we reluctantly released the first Méthode Ancienne Cabernet Sauvignon vintage in 1998. So long had we lived with this wine, that to trade it for money was painful. It was a piece of our history, our passion, labour and luck we were selling. It is our finest expression of Cabernet Sauvignon, and the best we can do. Will age for another 15-20 years.
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The Work of Time
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Bordeaux Blend
Time – The lost element in today’s winemaking, can be so precious – yet it is free. It was our desire to produce a Bordeaux Blend and so we planted the classic varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. These vines were planted on carefully selected sites and took 9 years to reach a level of maturity which we felt comfortable to use for the maiden vintage (2001). The grapes were fermented whole with native yeasts (true to our ancient custom) and left for 5 weeks on their skins. A slow 2 years of barrel maturation followed and a further 4 years of bottle maturation. Finally, we released this wine rich, classic and complex from age – of vines and wine. This long wait, justified only by our passion, does bear fruit. It’s called-“The Work of Time”.
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