De Trafford Winery is situated on the beautiful Mont Fleur farm set at the top of a dramatic valley above Stellenbosch, 380m up between the Stellenbosch and Helderberg mountains, right at the end of the Blaauwklip road, between Stellenbosch and Somerset West.
The history of wine growing on this mountain farm started with the purchase of the property in 1976 by the Trafford family as inaccessible grazing land. Many of the high altitude slopes were deemed suitable for high quality red grape varieties.A lot of effort is spent trying to grow ripe vines to produce properly ripe fruit. The grapes are handpicked in small lugboxes.
Fermentation with indigenous yeasts takes place in various small tanks and includes a pre-fermentation and post fermentation phase with regular punching down of the cap. The wine is transferred from the fermentation tanks directly to small French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation while still 'dirty', to better integrate flavours.
The noble Chenin Blanc grapes are allowed to ripen to their full potential and picked only in the cool early morning ( before 9.00am ). The grapes are lightly pressed in a traditional basket press after a few hours skin contact and fermented with indigenous yeasts in small oak casks.
Old Trafford is open for sales and tastings on Friday and Saturday mornings between 10:00 and 13:00. They offer Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon among other wine varieties.
