Description
TASTING NOTES Dense purple hues, with evocative aromas of black cherries, ripe plums, nectarines, boysenberry, wild bramble and exotic oak spice. The juicy and sweet-fruited palate entry, combined with crunchy tannins, lures one into a sense of overtness, yet the wine is sublimely elegant and poised. The complex layers of fruit is in perfect harmony with the oak, all bound together by a lively seam of acidity. The finish is pleasantly dry and savoury, with lingering notes of Christmas cake and vanilla pod
Awards
94 pts Tim Atkin
Gold Concours Mondial de Bruxelles
93 pts Gilbert & Gaillard Rating
5 stars Platter's South African Wine Guide
Certifications
Alcohol
14.5%
Analytical data
dry
Vineyard
The grapes are sourced from two very special, but distinctly different vineyards sites – 50% from the Agter Paarl region and 50% from Wellington. Each of these dryland parcels have their roots in heavily textured shale soils, and are vinified seperately before being blended together.
Both vineyards produce a low yield of 6 to 7 tons per hectare. The perfectly formed bush vines allow optimal sunlight on the grape cluster, resulting in even ripening. The Paarl component produces a big, heavily structured wine, while the Wellington portion lends a soft and rounded red fruit tone to the final blend.
Vinification
The wine is made in open fermenters, with regular punch-downs of the cap every two hours – this helps to maintain a homogenous temperature of +- 27 degrees Celsius during fermentation, and avoids the extraction of unwanted, harsh phenolics at higher temperatures. Time on the skins is short – 5 to 7 days, depending on the vintage.
After fermentation, the wine is transferred into 225L French oak barrels made from carefully selected wood from the Troncais forest. Malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of 70% new and 30% second fill barrels. This combination of new and used oak ensures sufficient aroma complexity and tannin extraction, without overpowering the varietal- and terroir characteristics of the wine. The wine is matured in these same barrels for a period of 24 months.
Maturation
Malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of 70% new and 30% second fill barrels. This combination of new and used oak ensures sufficient aroma complexity and tannin extraction, without overpowering the varietal- and terroir characteristics of the wine. The wine is matured in these same barrels for a period of 24 months.