“The more naturally you do something the more stable it becomes”
The red-wine cellar has been designed true to Springfield's philosophy of minimal intervention and works on a gravity-flow system to harvest the juices for production. No crushers or pumps are used. A conveyer belt transports destalked whole berries into the tanks. Whole-berry maceration is followed by fermentation with natural yeasts. The cap is punched through and "pumping over" is achieved by means of gravity. The tanks are equipped with both glycol and water-cooled jackets to ensure optimal fermentation temperatures.
A new gravity-flow red-wine cellar was recently completed, enabling Springfield to separate red and white winemaking totally. The grapes can now be harvested at optimal ripeness since red and white grapes can be received simultaneously at the two dedicated cellars. With dedicated red and white-wine cellars the winemaker is also able to work each variety individually and to its full potential.
For order details or further information on the Springfield Estate Wines please contact us at info@springfieldestate.com
or Tel: +27 (0)23 626 3661 | Fax: +27 (0)23 626 3664

The cellar, geared to Springfield's back-to-basics and minimum manipulation winemaking approach, is equipped to handle the wine from the grape to the bottle with care and passion. Like the wines, it has developed and grown and the original building dating back to 1902 has been absorbed by a more modern cellar complex.

Upon completion of alcoholic fermentation the fermented juice is placed in 300 litre Sequin Moreau barrels where malolactic fermentation takes place. The wine is matured in the barrel-maturation cellar for 12-18 months. Finally, it is bottled unfined and unfiltered. This process re-enacts the way in which wine was made in bygone days, resulting in wines true to nature.
The basic philosophy of minimal intervention is followed in the white-wine cellar as well. Once the Chardonnay grapes reach the cellar, the juice is fermented with the natural wild yeasts already present on the freshly picked grapes. The winemaker chooses either barrel-fermentation or tank-fermentation. The fermented wine is kept on the lees for up to one year before racking to allow it to develop its full flavours. Whenever possible, the wine is bottled without fining or filtration.
The Sauvignon Blanc grapes are night-harvested in cool temperatures, with fermentation sometimes delayed for up to four days. Cultivated yeast is used for fermentation, and the wine is kept on the lees for six months. Utmost care is taken to work as reductively as possible. The wine is fined and filtered before bottling.
Springfield has its own bottling and labelling line and is fully equipped to handle the grapes from the vineyard to the bottle. Their policy of taking no shortcuts is extended to the packaging of their wines with every neck-tie applied by hand and every bottle individually wrapped before being packed in boxes.