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VINEYARD BLOCKS
1 block ( Keerweder ) 31 year
old vines on a 3 wire trellis on neighbouring cool, high altitude,
SW slope. Deep red Hutton soil with good moisture retention.
Unirrigated. Yield 5 tons / hectare.
2 blocks ( Post House ) 17 &
19 year old vines on a 7 wire trellis with moveable foliage
wires. Lower slopes of the Helderberg, 8 km from the cooling
influence of the sea. Gravelly Hutton and Escourt soil. Yield
9 tons / hectare. Lightly irrigated just after veraison.
VINTAGE CONDITIONS
The cool wet winter got the growing season off to an excellent
start with even budding and the rest of the season was relatively
trouble-free. The cool, dry weather leading up to the harvest
meant the grapes developed concentrated, complex flavours
that may take a while to develop in the bottle. Clearly one
of the best harvests ever.
The grapes were picked in the cool mornings @ 22 - 24º
Balling.
Harvest dates: 4 / 2 / 03 - 19 / 3 / 03
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 was kept in 225 l casks for 8 months with lees
stirred 1 - 2 times a month initially.
20% new oak used – half French, half American. Most
barrels did not go through malolactic fermentation.
Bottled unfiltered on the property by hand with only a light
bentonite fining.
Bottling date : 17 / 11 / 03.
TASTING NOTES
An appealing pale yellow colour.
The nose shows subtle nutty, creamy oak with a complex mineral,
damp hay character.
The palate is rich and full bodied with a mouthwatering thread
of acidity that carries the complex fruit and oak flavours
to a long aftertaste. Probably best between 2004 and 2009.
Excellent with sushi, rich fish and seafood dishes, most white
meats or on its own.
ANALYSIS
ALC. 13.98% SUGAR 2.2 TA 6.4 pH
3.36 VA 0.60 SO2 30 & 107
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