Grape Varieties:
100% Chardonnay
Wine Inspiration:
In honour of our interconnectedness with nature.
Half human, half nature, the Green Man is an ancient mythical figure representing the spirit of the forest, the continuous regeneration of life and the interdependence of all things. He has appeared throughout the ages from as far afield as ancient Babylon, India, Borneo and Nepal, to abbeys and cathedrals all over Europe. He manifests in many forms, most commonly as a semi-human, foliate head, representing the fusion of man and nature. In his modern guise, The Green Man has appeared under a new name – Ecology. It is this spirit, as well as the delicate green hue of Silverthorn’s Chardonnay Cap Classique, that inspired winemaker John Loubser to break with the traditional name ‘Blanc de Blancs’ and personify the wine with the name The Green Man.
Wine Making Method & Maturation:
The Green Man was hand harvested in end-January 2022 in the early hours of the morning at 19 degrees balling. The grapes were whole bunch pressed with a very low recovery rate of only 500 litres per ton – this ensures that
no bitter tannins are extracted. Fermentation took place in a stainless steel tank at 15 degrees Celsius and 15% was barrel fermented and aged to enhance complexity. Secondary fermentation occurred in the bottle and the wine spent a minimum time of 23 months on the lees after which it was manually riddled and degorged. Total production – 14 000 bottles (750ml) and 800 magnums (1.5l).
Wine Tasting Notes:
On colour
Silverthorn The Green Man 2022 presents a pale lemon to lemon-green colour, with a fine, persistent bead that gives a very fresh, youthful impression in the glass. The mousse appears delicate and creamy, underscoring a sense of precision and purity.
On the nose
The nose is bright and focused, driven by citrus notes of lemon and lime alongside crisp green apple and subtle pear. Underneath the primary fruit there are hints of wet stone, gentle herbal tones and a light bread-dough character from lees ageing, adding a discreet savoury complexity.
On the palate
On the palate the wine is dry, with high, zesty acidity and a fine, creamy mousse that carries flavours of lemon zest, green apple and just-ripe stone fruit. There is a subtle autolytic layer of biscuit and dough, finishing with a long, chalky, slightly saline edge that keeps the wine feeling very precise and gastronomic.
On the whole
A taut, citrus-driven Cap Classique, combining bright fruit, fine mousse and a clean, mineral finish.
| Alcohol |
11.5% |
| Residual sugar |
6.4g/L |
| Acidity |
6.5g/L |
| Ph Level |
3.12 |
| Region |
Robertson |
| Producer |
Silverthorn |
