in the vineyard : Located in the Riebeeckberg ward, the mostly unirrigated vines, eight years old at the time of harvest, are grown in Malmesbury shale, known for its good water retention capacity. Vineyard management practices and judicious grape selection mean these trellised vines yield no more than 6 to 8 tons per hectare. Some 20% of the vineyards from which the grapes were sourced were irrigated, using the drip method, to avoid undue stress to the vines.
about the harvest: The grapes were harvested by hand at between 23° and 24° Balling. Each vineyard block was individually vinified, with the grapes fermented at 25°C for between five to seven days. After malolactic fermentation the wine was aged in new (30%) and second-fill (70%) oak for a period of 18 months.