Following last year’s exceptional 2010 vintage for the D.O.K. Maltese Sauvignon Blanc, from selected Delicata vineyards, the 2011 vintage grapes were hand-picked for the winemaker on August 4. The Sauvignon grapes were delivered to the Delicata winery and pressed by 10 a.m. This variety is the first to reach full maturity this year, but it was quickly followed by the D.O.K. Maltese Chardonnay which was pressed earlier this week on Monday.

At Delicata, the limited supply of D.O.K. Sauvignon Blanc grapes only goes into two mono varietal wines, under the Medina and Gran Cavalier labels. Both are made entirely from 100 per cent Sauvignon Blanc grapes. These grapes are only chosen from vines grown in selected vineyards that are located where specific micro climatic conditions exist.

In general, the 2011 Maltese grape harvest is low yielding but, as is usually the case in these circumstances, “when the volume is down the quality is up”, which is always good news for the consumer. Other than a few days in mid-July, where temperatures exceeded 35˚C, this years night and daytime temperatures, during the ripening period, were relatively cooler than in recent years. This will result in white wines that will be more fruit driven and that have good refreshing levels of acidity. The wines will also have pronounced varietal characteristics, so typical to that variety.

As far as the Delicata Sauvignon Blanc is concerned, that means a white wine that on the nose will be highly aromatic with tropical fruit aromas, typical of those found in New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, whereas on the palate there will be herbaceous, refreshing, crisp flavours, so akin to the Sauvignon Blanc wines of the Loire Valley in northern France like Sancerre and Pouilly Fume.

Once pressed, the juice (or must) will undergo its fermentation process in state-of-the-art temperature controlled stainless steel tanks located in the new fermentation hall at the winery. The free-run Sauvignon Blanc must that will eventually be bottled under the Gran Cavalier label, however, will go through an additional cold maceration process also known as maceration pelliculaire which will increase the body and varietal characteristics in the resulting wine. This is a process that requires the unfermented must to be left in contact with the skins of the grapes, which will help impart more flavour and give the wine more weight, depth and aging potential.

The next white varieties to be harvested will be Delicata’s D.O.K. Gozo Chardonnay followed by the Maltese D.O.K. Viognier, Moscato, Vermentino and then Zibibbo. The white indigenous grape variety Girgentina will be harvested at the beginning of September.