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De Trafford Roobernet / Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

Vineyard Blocks

Roobernet is a relatively new South African crossing of Pontac and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Pontac used to be extensively planted in the Cape and is thought to originate from Bordeaux.  It fell out of favour probably due to its low yields and the quality of the plant material was allowed to degenerate.  The crossing was an attempt to revive the variety, but the yields remain low and the wines are rather tannic on their own.  We have a few rows of 6 year old vines on 7 wire vertical trellis on R99 rootstock.  Yield approx. 5 tons / hect. 

 

Cabernet Sauvignon from a small section of our Mont Fleur vineyard – high altitude mountain slope.  Soil deep red Hutton.  6 year old vines on 7 wire vertical trellis.  CS46A on 101.14 rootstock.  Yield 5 tons / hect.

 

Vintage Conditions

An ideal dry, moderately hot summer with very few excessively hot days. The harvest commenced in perfect conditions with ripe, healthy grapes producing big, but well balanced wines.

Harvest date:  Cabernet Sauvignon 3/3/2001 @ 27.8°B

Roobernet 20/3/2001 @ 24.8°B

Production

100% destemming and crushing by hand directly into 750 kg open top fermentation tanks.  Spontaneous natural yeast fermentation allowed to peak at 32ºC with the cap of skins punched down 2 – 5 times a day – 8 days for the Roobernet, 13 days for the Cabernet Sauvignon.  Wine drained directly to barrels together with single pressing from traditional basket press. All wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in the barrel. 30% new French oak and 20% 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 : 15 January 2003

Production : 70 cases

Tasting Notes

Deep, dark, brooding red colour.  Rich, dark bramble berry nose with smoky nutty overlay. 

Intense dark fruit on palate gives way to big, chewy tannins and a long dry finish.  A monster wine with great ageing potential - probably best between 2008 – 2015.

Enjoy with rich meat dishes. - especially a fat, juicy piece of rump steak grilled on the traditional braai.

 

Analysis

Alc.  15.2%             SG.2.0            TA  5.8             pH  3.49             VA  0.62               SO2  24 & 45  

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