TASTING NOTES

Merlot (42%) is the backbone of this wine and together with petit verdot (35%) and cabernet sauvignon (23%), forms a rather pleasurable trio of this Bordeaux style blend. The rendition of these classic varieties is refreshingly different from other similar Cape offerings in that the natural grape tannins (from which wine makers so easily run from in an effort to make easy drinking wines) combine well with the dark black fruit flavours of merlot and cabernet sauvignon on the one hand and the red berry flavours and persistent acidity of the petit verdot.

VINEYARDS

The vineyards on the farm were planted in 2002 and are trellised and irrigated. The merlot and petit verdot vineyards are next to each other, facing east. Two cabernet sauvignon vineyards curve over a hill with the second block turning slightly west. The soil is made up of shale and clay components. Yields are naturally low between 4 and 5 tonnes per hectare.

VINIFICATION

The grapes were picked by hand at between 23.5 and 25 ° Balling into small crates. In the cellar, the whole clusters were crushed slightly through a peristaltic mash pump into one ton plastic fermenters. Spontaneous fermentation was allowed with no additions. During fermentation morning punch-downs were done by eager legs. After fermentation, the tanks were sealed while the wine was macerated for about three weeks thereafter.

MATURATION

The wine will be at best two years after vinification, but ready to enjoy now.