About the wine

Description

This wine is a blend of 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 23% Petit Verdot from Vineyards around Stellenbosch. The vineyards are specially selected according to their age and site from various parts of Stellenbosch, mostly unirrigated and all low yielding (4 to 6 t/ha). This gives a pure expression of its environment in the wine. The grapes are ripened to peak maturity (between 24 and 25 degrees brix) before being hand harvested and delivered to the cellar at which point they are placed in a cold store overnight at 4 degrees Celsius. After desteming the berries pass over a sorting table for the removal of all unwanted material. The berries then fall through a crusher and drop, via gravity, into small open wooden and stainless steel fermenters. Fermentation takes place by the yeast naturally occurring on the grape and can take anything up to 14 days to complete. Extraction occurs through regular pump overs and punch downs. Once fermentation has completed the wine may stay on the skins for an additional period of time which is dependent on the tannin development and ripeness, after which the wine is drained off and pressed in a vertical basket press. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel after which the wine is racked and returned to barrel for further maturation. Maturation takes place in small 225 liter French barriques of which 29% is new and lasts for 22 months with regular rackings. The wine received no fining or filtration before bottling. The wine was bottled in January 2018. 15 200 bottles were produced.

Tasting note

The wine has a vibrant garnet colour which extends to a plum red rim. The nose is a mélange of red and black briary fruit intertwined with hints of tobacco leaf and cedar wood. The wine enters the palate with juicy red and blackcurrant flavours with a clean textured mid-palate and a hint of savoury notes. The finish is long, dry and textured with just a touch of vanilla and toast.