Brother and sister team, Abrie and Jeanette Bruwer of Springfield Estate are the complete opposite of your typical university-trained winemakers. The Bruwers choose to take the path less travelled and go against the grain in order to make the sort of wines they want to drink.
The Estate has been run by the Bruwer family for generations. The current brother-sister winemaking team are descendants of the Brueres, Frenchmen who came to South Africa from the Loire Valley armed only with vines in the 1600s. Today the Springfield approach involves sustainable viticulture, wild yeasts, long fermentations and a stubborn (but justified) belief that the rocky, unforgiving soils of Robertson are perfect for producing outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon. Long may Abrie and Jeanette continue!
True to its moniker, the Springfield Estate, 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.
The Wild Yeast Chardonnay shows a delicious aroma of pineapple and pear candies. Vanilla, nuts, fresh fruits. The palate is wide, complex, powerful, rich, but also shows freshness, nuts, vanilla, pineapple and some lime on the finish.
