variety : Cabernet Sauvignon [ 100% Cabernet Sauvignon ]
winemaker : Hendrik de Villiers
wine of origin : Coastal
analysis : alc : 14.29 % vol rs : 2.5 g/l pH : 3.50 ta : 5.8 g/l
type : Red style : Dry body : Full wooded
pack : Bottle closure : Cork
in the vineyard : Since the early 18th century, Zonnebloem has been a leader in the time-honoured craft of winemaking. Today this tradition lives on from the vineyards, tended by the same families for over three generations, to the meticulous craftsmanship in the cellar. This care and attention have resulted in range of great wines nurtured, handcrafted and slowly coaxed to perfection, until they are released at optimum quality.
The vineyards (viticulturist: Annelie Viljoen)
The grapes, planted on south and south-west facing slopes to create cooler microclimates, were sourced from vineyards in the Devon Valley, Jonkershoek, Stellenbosch Kloof and Helderberg area. They range in age from 10 to 20 years and yielded 8 to 10 tons per hectare.
in the cellar : After ahrvesting the grapes were fermented on the skins for 10 to 12 days. The juice was then racked off the skins, and the skins pressed. The press juice was then proportionally added back to add complexity. More than half of the wine spent 10 to 12 months in 300 litre barrels (all French medium and medium+ toast from different coopers). The remainder was left to mature on French staves in conjunction with micro-oxygenation in stainless steel tanks before blending.