|
MONT FLEUR VINEYARD
The two best barrels of Cabernet Franc and the best barrel
of Merlot were chosen from wines produced from our magnificent
vineyard site high up on the eastern slopes of the Helderberg
mountain. The soil is a deep red decomposed granite –
Hutton type. The vines are close planted (5000 vines / hect.)
Cabernet Franc 67%
10 yr old vines on 7 wire vertical trellis. Clone CF1 on 101-14
rootstock.
Merlot 33%
10 yr old vines on 7 wire vertical trellis. Clone MO181 on
R99 rootstock
VINTAGE CONDITIONS
The spring was cool and late with good, even budburst. We
had a few very hot days in early January, but generally the
ripening season was relatively cool and dry and nearly 2 weeks
later than usual. A light irrigation at veraison ensured the
grapes ripened without too much stress. An unusual phenomenon
in 2004 was the occurrence of some unripe berries within some
of the bunches, which we had to painstakingly remove prior
to crushing.
Harvest date : 9 / 3 / 04 – Cabernet Franc, 11 / 3 /
06 - Merlot
PRODUCTION
Handpicking into 20 kg lugboxes. 100% destemmed and gently
crushed directly into open top fermenters. Spontaneous natural
yeast fermentation @ max. temp. 29°C for the Cab.F. and
31°C for the Merlot. Time on skins 14 days for the Cab.F.
and 12 days for the Merlot, with cap of skins punched down
(pigeage) 1 – 4 times a day. Wine drained directly to
barrels together with single pressing from traditional basket
press.
All our red wines undergo malolactic fermentation in the barrel.
This helps to integrate the new oak and fix colour and flavour
compounds. Mostly new French oak used. Time in barrel 19 months,
which included several rackings to gradually clarify the wine
and assist maturation.
This wine was bottled by hand, unfined and unfiltered, on
the property.
Bottling date: 14 / 12 / 05. Production : 144 x 6 bottle cases
(112 cases sold)
TASTING NOTES
Complex cranberry, smoke, dust and a touch of earth on the
nose. Fine, firm, grippy tannins with intriguing fruit persisting
on the palate to the end of a long, dry finish. Probably best
between 2008 and 2015.
Ideal with quite a variety of finely flavored and even quite
spicy red meat dishes.
ANALYSIS
Alc. 14.6 SG. 1.7 TA 5.4
pH 3.66 VA 0.56 SO2 31 & 58 |
