Wine Spectator 96

 

Vineyard Blocks

About ½ from one block 16 yr old vines on 7 wire vertical trellis with moveable foliage wires. Clones SH21A; SH1A & SH99 all on 101-14 rootstock. 5000 vines / hect. "Mont Fleur" vineyard - high altitude (393 metres) Helderberg mountain NW facing slope.

Steeply sloping terraced site with rocky, granitic based Hutton soil.

Yield 4 tons / hect. (29hℓ/ha)

About ½ from our new “Tip Top Mont Fleur” vineyard planted in 2003 immediately above the existing Shiraz vineyard.  Soil and aspect similar, though a little steeper and stonier. Clones SH470 (sourced from Cote Rotie); SH174 (sourced from Hermitage) and SH747 all on 101-14 (low vigour) rootstock. Trellis system and planting density as older vineyard above.

Yield 4 tons / hect. (29hℓ/ha)

 

Vintage Conditions

We had a late 2010 winter with a little below average rainfall, but cold enough in May to ensure even bud-break in spring. The growing season was cool with some regular rainfall, which made up for the drier winter. Flowering was good and although December was very windy (most in 42 years), we had no damage and a normal healthy crop of very good quality. The harvest period was very hot and dry, but we managed to get all the grapes to the cellar in the cool mornings at optimum ripeness.

Harvest date: 11 / 02 / 11 - 23 / 02 / 11 @ 24.9°- 26° Balling.

 

Production

Handpicking into 20 kg crates. Destemming and gentle crushing directly into small 2 ton open top fermentation tanks. Spontaneous natural yeast fermentation @ max. 31°C with the cap of skins punched down manually 1 - 4 times a day for 14 days. Wine drained directly to barrels together with single pressing from traditional basket press. Malolactic fermentation in the barrel. 50% new fine grained, slow toasted small French oak was used. Time in barrel 22 months with only 2 gentle rackings. This wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered by hand.

Bottling date: 25 / 01 / 2013

Production : 184 x 12 x 750ml; 72 x 12 x 375ml

 

Tasting Notes

A little oxidative at first with a deep, dark red colour. Big, rich blue / blackberry nose with cedary notes. Great intensity and complexity. Rich, very ripe dark fruit and pepper and spice palate. Big, mouthfilling tannins. Slightly sweet fruit comes out as the wine opens up. 

Drink 2015 to 2022.

Best with a thick chunk of steak on the braai.

 

Analysis

Alc.  16.17           SG.  2.3            TA  5.2            pH  3.56           VA  0.74            SO2  9free 38total