variety : Merlot [ 100% Merlot ]
winemaker : Abe Beukes & Johan Nesenberend
wine of origin : Coastal
analysis : alc : 14.0 % vol rs : 2.3 g/l pH : 3.5 ta : 5.6 g/l
type : Red style : Dry body : Medium taste : Fruity wooded
pack : Bottle closure : Cork
in the vineyard : The recent demarcation of the Darling district has led to a focus at Darling Cellars on wines which are terroir and varietal specific. The cool and temperate West Coast climate lends itself to a different micro- and mesoclimate which, along with the different types of soil, lead to unique grapes, which we guide into even more unique wines. Having 99% of all vineyards dry land and almost the same percentage as bush vine, this is as close to what nature intended for grapes to be as one can get.
DC is a wine range of straight varietals where the focus is on fruit driven, varietal true, value for money wines.
Terroir: Decomposed granite, with deep red top soils. A low yield from dry land and bush vine
Vineyard type: Bush Vine, dry land
Yield: 5.5-6.5 t/ha
in the cellar : Vinification: Crush and destalk, 12 days fermentation at 22-28°C
Maturation: After malolactic fermentation, wine is racked into barrels for 10 months. A blend of 3rd and 4th fill barrels are used