A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The wine shows plum and cinnamon spice on the nose. Black cherry and mulberry fruit show on the palate along with spice, all leading to a well integrated, firm tannin structure. A fruit-forward and silky wine for everyday drinking.
WINE OF ORIGIN - STELLENBOSCH
ANALYSIS
alc: 14.56% / ph: 3.56/ TA: 5.5g/L / RS: 2g/L / VA: 0.47g/L
BLEND INFORMATION
Merlot 53%; Cabernet Sauvignon 30%; Cabernet Franc 16%; Petit Verdot 1%.
VITICULTURE
The vineyards are in Stellenbosch. The proximity to the ocean provides for moderate temperatures resulting in slow ripening of the fruit. The soils are made up of leached, decomposed granite and sandstone. Gravel in the upper layers provides for good drainage in wet seasons and clay in the subsoil provides for moisture retention in dry ones. Vineyards are trained on a 7-wire hedge and cane pruned by hand.
Average yield is 8-10tons/ha.
HARVEST NOTES
2022 harvest see an increase in yields from 2021. A very wet Spring preceding the harvest, with heavy rainfall at the end of October and end of November. This affected evenness of red cultivar flowering and veraison. White cultivars retained natural acid in the juice well. A cool December with some rains over Christmas. In general, a cool and dry Jan - March - optimal weather for picking.
WINEMAKING NOTES
Grapes were harvested by hand and berry sorted into stainless steel fermenters. Fermentation commenced spontaneously and was finished with a pure strain. Extraction was done with a combination of punch-down, rack-and-return and pump-over methods. Batches were gently pressed and immediately racked to small French oak barrels and 4600L oak foudre where they completed malolactic
fermentation. The components were racked three times to clarify and develop the wines. Blending took place after 12 months aging.
Barrel composition: Older French oak barrels and 4600L foudre.
AGING POTENTIAL
This wine is ideally drunk young but should develop well with aging over a period of 5 years, if it is stored under optimum conditions.
PRODUCTION: 70 000 x 750ml
FOOD PAIRING
Try with roast chicken, duck, lean steak cuts (fillet/flank) or barbecue pulled pork
sandwiches. Also great with meaty pizza or pasta.
