Vineyard Blocks

1st block 8 year old vines on 6 wire vertical trellis.  Mix of “new clones” on 101-14 rootstock.  Mont Fleur vineyard. – high altitude mountain slope.  Soil deep red Hutton.  Yield 3 tons / hect.  

2nd block 14 year old vines on 4 wire vertical trellis.  Clone CS 46A on 101-14 rootstock.  Soil gravelly red Hutton type.  On low lying Helderberg mountain site.  Yield 2 tons / hect. 

3rd block 5 year old vines on 5 wire vertical trellis.  Clone 20C on 101.14 rootstock.  Neighbouring east facing Keermont vineyard.  Soil deep red Hutton.  Yield 5 tons / hect.

8% Roobernet and 6% Merlot incl.

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Vintage Conditions

No irrigation necessary.  The growing season was particularly difficult, with early season mildew problems.  A lot of rain fell at the time of veraison which did not adversely affect the crop.  The grapes ripened in good weather producing soft well balanced wines, though not quite as concentrated as usual. 

Harvest date:  26 / 2 / 02 – 13 / 3 / 02 @ 23.3 – 25.7° balling.

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Production

100% destemming and crushing by hand directly into 2 ton open top fermentation tanks. Spontaneous natural yeast fermentation @ 30ºC with the cap of skins punched down 2 – 5 times a day for 10 to 14 days. Wine drained directly to barrels together with single pressing from traditional basket press. All wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in the barrel. 35% new French oak and 5% new American oak was used from high quality coopers. Time in barrels 22 months, which included several rackings to gradually clarify the wine and assist maturation. This wine was bottled unfiltered by hand on the property.

Bottling date : 6 January 2004

Production : 610 cases.

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Tasting Notes

Deep, dark, brooding red colour.

Concentrated blackberry / mulberry and slightly earthy, cedar nose. 

Intense fruit flavours and rich, silky textured palate which follows through to a long, quite dry finish. Probably best between 2006 – 2012.

Enjoy with rich meat dishes.

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Analysis

Alc.  14.65%              SG.1.5             TA  5.6             pH  3.72            VA  0.52              SO2  43 & 52