Description
CELLAR INFORMATION The grapes for this wine are from 4 different Cabernet vineyards and our best Petit Verdot and Malbec vineyards, all at a range of different elevations. Although all are on the decomposed granite soils typical of the hillsides in Jonkershoek, the soil textures vary quite a lot and that, together with the differences in elevations and clones, gives a variety of different flavour profiles to the grapes. The Malbec grapes were picked early March, and the Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot grapes were harvested in mid-March. After being cold-soaked for a couple of days the juice underwent fermentation with the natural yeasts for about 10 days on the skins. The fermentations were hand punched-down every 4 hours for the first half of fermentation and every 6-8 hours until dry. At dryness, the wine was pressed and racked to barrel for malolactic fermentation and barrel maturation. Only 300L French oak was used, of which about 30% were new. Bottled with no fining and without filtration after 20 months barrel maturation. this vineyard is organic-in-conversion. VINEYARD INFORMATION Cabernet 18-30 years at harvest, Petit Verdot 16 years, Malbec 13 years. 200-310m above sealevel, South East and North West. This wine is the bedrock of our winery. We generally refer to it as our "Estate Blend" being made up from our four Cabernet blocks along with the two other traditional Bordeaux blending varieties that we grow on our farm. Since this wine is from several different blcoks, the soil textures vary, but the soil type is the decomposed granite, iron-rich soils typical of Stellenbosch mountain vineyards.
