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Circumstance Shiraz 2007

Circumstance Shiraz is a Rhone style wine with flavours red berries and a hint of cocoa . A complex and chewy wine with good length and fine tannins on the finish.

variety : Shiraz [ 100% Shiraz ]
winery : Waterkloof
winemaker : Werner Engelbrecht
wine of origin : Western Cape
analysis : alc : 14.0 % vol  rs : 1.71 g/l  pH : 3.60  ta : 6.00 g/l  va : 0.70 g/l  
type : Red  style : Dry   wooded
pack : Bottle  closure : Cork  
in the vineyard : Circumstance Shiraz is grown on the slopes of the Schapenberg. The farm is about 4 kilometres from the sea, and the Shiraz vineyards are planted at a height of between 240 and 260 meters above sea level. The soils are of sandstone origin with medium size stones, helping with drainage but it also have a very good ability to retain moisture.

The 2007 vintage was cultivated with one supplementary irrigation at veraison and the vineyards are trellised to effectively handle the canopy. Strong south-easterly winds occurred during the growing season which helped to control growth and crop. The vineyards are of an average age of between 9 and 11 years. Production was approx 8 tons/ha.

2007 GROWING SEASON
After several dry winters we had very good rains and cold weather throughout the winter period. The spring and early summer was one of the coolest in years, which is very positive for flavour development on the white wines and colour and structure on the reds. Despite a heat wave in late January, vineyards looked good and ripened properly and slowly.

in the cellar : A portion of the grapes were destemed and fermented in Stainless steel tanks. Natural yeast on the grapes were allowed to start and complete the fermentation process. A combination of pumpovers and "delestage" were used to circulate the fermenting juice over the skins to a maximum of two to three times per day. The wine was left on the skins for 20 days. 20% of the grapes were not destemmed and were fermented whole bunch.

This fermentation was done in small open top wooden fermenters. The grapes were punched down two times per day. The grapes stayed on the skins for 30 days. A delicate pressing was done and all press juice were returned to the wine. It was aged in 50% new French barrels and 50% older French barrels. The wine was aged in barrel for 14 months after which it spend another 2 months in tank before bottling.

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OTHER VINTAGES

Circumstance Shiraz 2007
Shiraz