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This is a “once off” unique production and not
part of our usual range.
VINEYARD BLOCKS
Petit Verdot 50% - 1 block 4 year
old vines on 7 wire vertical trellis with moveable foliage
wires. Low vigour 101-14 rootstock. On low-lying Helderberg
mountain site. Medium potential gravelly red clay “hutton”
soil. Yield 8 tons / hectare (52 hl/ha).
Merlot 50% - 1 block 6 year old
vines on 7 wire vertical trellis with moveable roliage wires.
Low vigour 101-14 rootstock. One small block on neighbouring
Keermont farm. Deep red clay / loam “hutton” soil.
Uield 9 tons / hectare (58 hl/ha).
VINTAGE CONDITIONS
Below average winter rain was followed by above average rainfall
in spring. This allowed for good growth conditions up to flowering
and was followed by hot and dry conditions during berry enlargement.
75 mm of rainfall in January (more than double our average)
diluted the fruit quality of the early ripening varieties
such as the Pinot Noir, but was beneficial for the later varieties
such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. These ripened
in warm dry conditions and attained exceptionally high sugars
and fruit concentration.
Harvest date : Petit Verdot 14 / 3 / 05 @ 26.3° B
Merlot 25 / 2 / 2005 @ 24° B.
PRODUCTION
Handpicking into 20 kg lugboxes. Destemming and gentle crushing
directly into small 2 ton open top fermentation tanks. Spontaneous
natural yeast fermentation @ max. 31 deg. with the cap of
skins punched down manually 1-3 times a day for 11 days. Wine
drained directly to barrels together with single pressing
from traditional basket press.
All our red wines undergo malolactic fermentation in the barrel.
10% new American oak and 15% new French oak was used from
high quality coopers. Time in barrel 17 months, which included
several rackings to gradually clarify the wine and assist
maturation.
Bottled unfiltered by hand on the property.
Bottling date : 1/09/06. Production : 336 cases.
TASTING NOTES
The rich, concentrated but rather one dimensional Petit Verdot
was blended with Merlot that was more complete and elegant
with a little herbaceousness that compliments the pepperiness
of the Petit Verdot.
Probably best between 2008 and 2013, but difficult to predict
as there is no track record for this wine. Ideal with any
red meat and sausages on a braai (barbeque).
ANALYSIS
Alc. 14.92 SG. 2.0 TA 5.6 pH
3.72 VA 0.52 SO2 34free 77total
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