Durbanville Hills Merlot 2007

Colour: Light ruby
Bouquet: Ripe berry character with dark chocolate and slight mintiness in the background.
Taste: Medium bodied fruity with a soft and elegant, palate laced with ripe fruit and spicy vanilla.

An ideal partner to robust dishes made from game, poultry, venison and red meats, especially stews and casseroles.

variety : Merlot [ 100% Merlot ]
winemaker : Martin Moore & Wilhelm Coetzee
wine of origin : Durbanville
analysis : alc : 13.36 % vol  rs : 1.8 g/l  pH : 3.52  ta : 6.1 g/l  
type : Red   wooded
pack : Bottle  closure : Cork  

in the vineyard : 
Seven leading vineyard owners in the Durbanville Hills district joined together to create Durbanville Hills together with Distell in order to promote the regional individuality of this prime wine growing area, which boasts a temperate climate, with Atlantic sea breezes cooling the vines during the summer months. Grapes for this brand, which has already attracted widespread positive attention both in South Africa and abroad, are sourced only from these growers, all of whom fall under the limited appellation of Durbanville. All member vineyards subscribe to IPW (Integrated Production of Wine) growing practices, designed to sustain natural resources. They are dryland vineyards, encouraging a process of natural selection. In addition, a meticulous crop control is applied to further limit yields and promote concentration of varietal flavour.
 
Winemaker Martin Moore uses highly advanced cellar technology to ensure optimal extraction of colour and flavour.

The vineyards (viticulturist: Johan Pienaar)
The grapes for this wine were chosen from two distinctly different vineyards – one on a
sunny, north-facing hill, chosen for the prominent varietal aromas of the grapes, and the
other on a cool, south-facing slope, chosen for the sound structure the grapes would impart
to the wine.

about the harvest: The grapes from two vineyards were harvested by hand in March between 25ºB and 26ºB and vinified separately.

in the cellar : After 24 hours of cold soaking, the must was fermented on the skins for eight days at 29ºC until dry and then left on the skins for two weeks to allow for extended maceration to soften the texture. The fermenting juice was mixed with the skins every two hours to impart an intensity of colour and flavour. Fermentation took place in stainless steel Dizio tanks from Italy. Maximum fruit, colour and tannin extraction from the skins was made possible through continuous computer-regulated pump-over cycles. The fermenting juice was kept in closed, oxygen-poor tanks, while the skins remained fully immersed during the entire fermentation and maceration period. After malolactic fermentation, the wine was matured for 12 months in equal quantities of new, second-fill and third-fill 300 litre French oak barrels.

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