in the vineyard : The core of our grape supply is from select vineyards in Paarl. In the New World almost everyone can theoretically claim superior terroir since there is no regulation over the claim. We prefer to focus on the merits of what we call "regionality".
The Paarl Wine Route is also known as "The Red Route" for its legendary red wines. Trellised and planted in the shale soils towards the North East parts of the Paarl Valley (bordering the Swartland region), restricted supplementary irrigation is used where necessary for Shiraz. Planting density is approximately 3400vines/ha. The deep soils are high in clay content, assisting with water retention as availability thereof is limited.
in the cellar : After harvesting the grapes are destemmed and then fermented in stainless steel tanks. Grapes are "cold soaked for 24 hours before fermentation is allowed to take place. We use natural fermentation where possible, allowing for more complexity and a broader spectrum of aromas and flavours. We favour a more aerobic approach, and emulate traditional daily punch downs by initially using compressed air. Later in the fermentation we change to normal pump overs, also reducing the number from three to once daily. A portion of the wine (as much as 60%), is fermented with oak staves. A further portion is barrel matured for approx 9 - 12 months, using 2nd , 3rd & 4th fill 300l barrels. Fermentation temperatures are allowed to be slightly higher than the standard norm (up to 26° C), facilitating the natural fermentation. Good blending adds both complexity and balance.