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Best barrel selected from Challenge Winner - 16 month barrel
maturation!
VINEYARD BLOCK
Post House block - 13 year old
vines on a 4 wire trellis with moveable foliage wires. Lower
slopes of the Helderberg, 8 km from the cooling influence
of the sea. Gravelly Hutton soil. Yield 5 tons / hectare.
Lightly irrigated to releave drought and heat stress.
VINTAGE CONDITIONS
The growing season was good with ( thankfully ) above average
rain in November and December, as the following ripening period
was particularly dry and hot. The grapes were picked in the
cooling mornings @ 21.8 - 23.6 degrees balling.
Harvest date 7 / 2 / 99 - 29 / 2 / 99.
PRODUCTION
Grapes lightly crushed and allowed 3 hours skin contact before
gently pressing in a traditional basket press. Sulphur and
dry ice added and natural settling allowed for 2 days before
100 % barrel fermentation with natural
yeasts.
All the wine kept in a two year old 225 l French oak barrel
for 16 months with lees stirred
1 - 2 times a month initially. Malolactic fermentation completed.
Bottled unfiltered on the property by hand with only a light
bentonite fining.
Bottling date : 5 / 6 / 2000.
TASTING NOTES
Excellent with rich fish and seafood dishes, subtle red and
white meats or on its own.
ANALYSIS
ALC. 14.99 SUGAR 2.7 TA 5.3 pH 3.64 VA 0.71 SO2 18 & 106
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