Brut MCC

Made from Verdelho on the Helderberg, this is one of the more unusual Méthode Cap Classique wines in the Cape - a Blanc de Blancs that swaps the traditional Chardonnay base for the centuries-old Madeiran grape Verdelho, single-block grown on the lower slopes of the Helderberg Mountain. The decomposed granite there is among the oldest viticultural soil in the world, and the cool day-breezes off False Bay with cold night air falling down the mountain give even ripening and good natural acidity. The vineyards are hand-tended. Crop is reduced to lift quality, and Longridge's organic and biodynamic principles - no pesticides, no herbicides, no chemical spray - carry through every block. In the cellar the grapes were whole-bunch pressed and only the free-run juice was used. The wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks, then matured and hand-riddled on the lees for forty months before disgorgement - the long lees age is where the brioche character and the persistent, vibrant mousse come from.