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VINEYARD BLOCK
6 year old vines on 4 wire vertical trellis. Western low lying
slope of Helderberg mountain. Soil poor gravelly clay mixture.
Given a little relieving irrigation around 'veraison'. Yield
4.5 tons / ha.
VINTAGE CONDITIONS
Long, dry, hot, trouble free summer produced very ripe grapes
of excellent quality from low yielding vines. Grapes were
picked by hand in the cooler mornings between
2 / 2 / 94 - 5 / 2 / 94 @ 24.3º balling.
PRODUCTION
100 % destemming by hand and gentle crushing directly into
various stainless steel fermentation tanks. Most tanks received
a light sulphur addition and tartaric increased by max. 15
%. No yeast added. Cold soak allowed for approx. 3 days. Fermentation
temp. rose to 32 degrees and cap punched down 3 times a day.
Total time on skins approx. 14 days. Wine drained directly
to barrels. Single pressing from small traditional basket
press added.
All wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in the barrel.
This helps integrate the new oak component and fix colour
and flavour compounds. The wine is racked on completion of
malo. and sulphur increased to approx. 35ppm. 30 % new French
oak was used - Never oak from Taransaud cooperage and Troncais
and Allier from Demptos. Time in barrel 18 months. Aim is
to allow maximum development in the barrel to accentuate 'terroir'
rather than oak extraction.
Racking was done by gravity or with hand bellows barrel to
barrel approx. every 6 months. This wine achieved a natural
balance and clarity that required no fining or filtration
before bottling by hand on the property. Bottling date : 6/10/95.
TASTING NOTES
The wine has an attractive deep plummy colour. The spicy oak
complements the black-cherry and cassis fruit beautifully
on the nose. The palate is full bodied and concentrated, with
ripe silky tannins. Best between 1999 and 2004.
ANALYSIS
Alc. 13.47 Sg. 1.7 TA 5.6 pH
3.47 VA 0.47 SO2 31 & 68
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