Simonsig Frans Malan Reserve 2002

Veritas 2005 - Gold
Veritas 2004 - Silver
Intensely deep Persian colour. On the nose a combination of sweet plum, mulberry flavours with an undertone of blackberry fruit. Sweet and spicy vanilla oak supports the layers of seductive flavours of the three cultivars. The sweet fruit of Pinotage, well developed tannin structure of Cabernet Sauvignon and the dry lingering finish of Merlot makes this wine a true Cape Style blend in every way.

To buy our wines in South Africa, please click here

variety : Pinotage [ 67% Pinotage, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot ]

winery : Simonsig Family Vineyards

winemaker : Johan Malan

wine of origin : Stellenbosch

analysis : alc : 15.1 % vol rs : 2.2 g/l pH : 3.7 ta : 5.4 g/l

type : Red wooded

pack : Bottle

AWARDS

Veritas 2005 - Gold
Veritas 2004 - Silver

ageing : Will reach peak maturity 5 to 8 years from vintage.

in the vineyard : In 1991 we experimented with a Pinotage Cabernet blend for the Cape Independent Winemakers Guild, to show the public a new approach in winemaking. At that time it was in vogue to talk about what a typical South African blend is. After the success of the 1991 vintage we decided to make this blend as a limited release to the larger public. The wine was named after Frans Malan, the founder of Simonsig and the patriarch of the Malan family. The 8 vintages to date have built up an enviable track record with 3 Veritas Double Gold and 4 Gold Medals.

The winter before the 2002 harvest was extremely wet with 897 mm of rain measured in 2001. This is about 33% more than the long term average. High rainfall during the growing season created very high disease pressure. Downy mildew destroyed almost 25% of the crop in Stellenbosch, resulting in one of the smallest crops in years. Average temperatures were considerably lower than average. The cool summer was followed by ideal warmer weather in February and March. The red varieties ripened slowly and allowed the tannins to ripen to perfection. The small harvest and ideal ripening conditions produced wines with excellent concentration of fruit and ripe tannins. An excellent vintage for Simonsig.

in the cellar : Wood Maturation: 18 months 49% American White Oak, 51% French Oak, New wood 77%, 2nd fill 23%

email the winery

email this page

find our wines in :