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IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Vibrant bubbles, zesty citrus, pure elegance.
Made from 100% Colombard, the love child of Chenin Blanc! A blend of old world tradition with new world charm, let the River Dragon take you places.
Grape Varieties:
100% Colombar
Wine Inspiration:
âIf the sky could dream, would it dream of dragons?â
Dragons exist in the realm of magic, but their origins are grounded by our collective fascination and curiosity in nature. Perhaps inspired by dinosaurs, there is a rich and ancient history of dragons throughout the world. Draco Africanus, the majestic African Dragon, is alleged to have spent its time whimsically flying and âskywritingâ with smoke. Benevolent, wise and powerful, the âRiver Dragonâ of Silverthorn appears eternally silhouetted against the River Without End Mountains.
Method and Maturation:
River Dragon was hand harvested towards the end of February in the early hours of the morning at 19 degrees balling. The grapes from a 39 year old vineyard,
were whole bunch pressed with a very low recovery rate of only 500 litres per ton â this ensures that no bitter tannins are extracted. 40% of the base wine was
fermented in old Acacia 500 litre barrels to enhance complexity. Secondary fermentation occurred in the bottle and the wine spent 12 months on the lees after which it was manually riddled and disgorged.
Wine Tasting Notes:
Colour/appearance: Vibrant green hue â with a fine twirling bead of bubbles.
Nose: Vibrant aromas of chamomile blossom and thatch complimented by a subtle stone fruit and tropical notes.
Palate: Well balanced with an elegant structure, fine mousse which imparts a gentle explosion of bubbles on the palate and a long finish
| Alcohol | 12% |
|---|---|
| Residual sugar | 6.5g/L |
| Acidity | 6.1g/L |
| Ph Level | 3.2 |
| Region | Robertson |
| Producer | Silverthorn |
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Testimonials
Fall in love with every sip. Try one today.
Explore our collection of spectacular Reds
This collection has been carefully curated to represent the best expressions of South Africa from our wine makers.
South African wines can be outstanding.
In fact, critics are calling this period the "Golden Age" for South African wines! If you are new to South African wines, let us introduce you to them with some history and notes about the grape varietals found there.
The History of South African Wines
Of course, this is meant to be a "all you must know" summary about the history of South African wines, because as you can imagine, history is never so simple. But if you're new and just looking for a snapshot of the highlights, then here's it;
1655: THE FIRST VINE PLANTINGS
South Africa has been making wines for a long time - The Longest time, in fact, in modern history and when compared to all the "New World" wine countries. The first record of wine production in South Africa was in 1655 during the time when the East India company set up a colonial base in South Africa. Then, Jan van Riebeeck, the first Commander of the Cape colony, brought along a vine with him and made a vineyard with that planting.
1695: THE FIRST WINES
4 years after planting the first vines, the farmers harvested the grapes and made wine. However, the Dutch didn't know much about wines nor of wine making, and the local farmers weren't particularly skilled at farming the grapes, nor making the wines, so the quality of the wines then weren't impressive. This all changed when the French Huguenots, Protestants fleeing religious prosecution in Franch fled to South Africa and brought along their wine culture and knowledge. In the year 1679, Van Riebeeck was succeeded by Simon van der Stel, who was not only enthusiastic but very knowledgeable about viticulture and winemaking.
STELLENBOSCH TODAY
Van der Stel was so successful with his vineyard and as the first Governor of the Cape that his wines became world famous and the cape, as well as it's surrounding mountains were named after him. That's how we have Stellenbosch today, a region that remains well known for its wines, and the Simonberg mountains that form part of the incredible fauna and flora of South Africa today.
From the blog
Every month, we try to publish content that helps you understand wines and South African wines better. Here's our latest blog articles, check them out.
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Honouring International Womenâs Day with Vanessa Tan
Celebrate Vanessaâs incredible accomplishments as she breaks barriers in the wine industry, inspiring others this International Womenâs Day with her sommelier success.
Know Your Grapes: The Muscadel
Itâs been a while since we last wrote about a specific grape varietal, but weâre bringing that focus back. This...
What makes Straw Wine special?
Discover Straw Wine, a unique dessert wine made by drying grapes to intensify sweetness and flavor. Learn about Orange River Cellars, a South African producer crafting exceptional Straw Wine that highlights the Northern Capeâs terroir.