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VINEYARD BLOCKS
Mostly from the neighbouring Keermont
vineyard. A north east. facing block. 6 yr old vines
on 7 wire vertical trellis, clone SH9 on 101.14 rootstock.
Soil deep red Hutton. Yield 8 ton / hect.
The balance from Pru Crawley’s “heap of stones”
vineyard a bit further down the Blaauwklip valley. 6 yr old
vines on 5 wire vertical trellis, clone SH9 on 101-14 rootstock.
Soil a raised alluvial stone terrace. Yield approx. 6 tons/ha.
Both vineyards lightly irrigated at veraison.
VINTAGE CONDITIONS
The spring was cool and late with a 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.
Harvest date : 8 / 3 / 04 – 18 / 3 / 04 @ 23.4 - 25.7°
Balling.
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 2 - 4 times a day for an average of
12 days. Wine drained directly to barrels together with single
pressing from traditional basket press.
All our red wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in the
barrel. This helps to integrate the new oak component and
fix colour and flavour compounds. 15% new French oak and 10
% new American oak was used.
Time in barrel 19 months with only a single racking.
This wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered by hand.
Bottling date : 31 / 10 / 2005.
Production : 550 x 12 x 750ml
TASTING NOTES
Attractive deep red colour. Closed, but intense plum, spice,
cherry and subtle herb nose. Full palate packed with complex
fruit and soft, ripe tannins. Finely textured with a long
dry finish. Probably best between 2007 & 2014. Ideal with
a variety of strong flavoured (including lightly spicy) meat
dishes.
ANALYSIS
Alc. 14.56 SG. 1.7 TA 5.1
pH 3.9 VA 0.57 SO2 30 & 80 |
