Durbanville Hills Sparkling Rose

Nine leading vineyard owners in the Durbanville district joined forces with Distell to create Durbanville Hills with the aim of promoting the regional individuality of this prime wine-growing area. The striking Durbanville Hills cellar sits on the side of a series of rolling hills with magnificent views of Table Mountain and Table Bay - the very geography that lies at the heart of what makes the wines so unique.

The Durbanville ward is considered one of the Cape’s coolest wine regions, thanks to the sea breezes that drift inland from False Bay and Table Bay and the late afternoon mists that bathe the slopes. These conditions are ideal for the slow ripening of the grapes, allowing them to develop their full-flavoured, intense character. Grapes are sourced only from the shareholder- growers, all of whom farm within the limited appellation of Durbanville. Meticulous canopy management promotes concentration of varietal flavour.

Cellar master Martin Moore uses highly advanced cellar technology to ensure optimal extraction of flavour. Sustainable practices include maintaining the disciplines imposed by International Environmental Standard ISO 140001 such as in the treatment of waste water back to irrigation quality. In all its vineyards the growing practices prescribed by IPW (Integrated Production of Wine) are followed.

These are designed to sustain natural resources. In addition, the members protect on their farms 320 ha of endangered Renosterveld as part of the Biodiversity Wine Initiative (BWI).

The Shiraz grapes were sourced from a block on the lower foothills in the middle of the cool inside of the valley. The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were selected from a block on the western side of the valley where day temperatures are higher and night temperatures cooler than inside the valley. In both instances the grapes were hand-picked early in ripeness to prevent the development of too much flavour and colour as the carbon dioxide tends to exaggerate fruitiness.

A blend of Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, the grapes were harvested by hand in the early morning at 22.5-23.5°B. De-stemming and crushing took place in 15-ton separators and the free run juice was immediately separated from the skins to capture the beautiful colour. The juice was settled overnight and racked, and the two batches were fermented separately at 15°C for 14 to 21 days. During bottling the wine is impregnated with carbon dioxide creating the magical fine sparkle