variety : Merlot [ 100% Merlot ]
winemaker : Wayne Gabb, Justin Corrans
wine of origin : Cape Agulhas
analysis : alc : 13.48 % vol rs : 1.1 g/l pH : 3.54 ta : 5.1 g/l
type : Red style : Dry wooded
pack : Bottle closure : Cork
in the vineyard : Background
Lomond Wines was established in July 2004 as a joint venture between Distell and Lomond Properties.
Lomond, in the Gansbaai area, is situated in the valley of the Uilenkraal River and located at a most southerly latitude - 34° 34 ? south. It is one of a handful of wine farms within the Cape Agulhas appellation of origin.
The farm falls within the Winkler Zone 2, with relatively little variation in day-night temperatures throughout the year. Located about 7km from the sea, it is kept cool by the southwesterly and south-easterly winds during the summer months. The prevailing cool temperatures mean that vineyards ripen several weeks later than their Stellenbosch counterparts, with harvesting taking place towards March.
Altitudes vary, with some blocks around 50m above sea level, while others are located around 100m above sea level, with an unhindered exposure to the sea. However, even the lowest-lying vineyards still benefit from the cool maritime winds. The farm consists of 1000 ha, 120 ha of which are planted with vines. The main grape varieties are Sauvignon blanc, Merlot, Shiraz, Semillon, Nouvelle, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Viognier.
Lomond's geological formations are unique. The soils are mostly of sandstone and shale origins with the intrusion of granite in sections creating lean, gravelly soils. This marked diversity of soil types combined with the valley location allow for the production of superb 'single vineyard' wines from individual vineyard blocks.
The vineyards
The vineyards are planted on the lower-lying areas of the farm on the southern and south-east facing slopes, established in a mixture of Ouklip and kaolin soils. The vines are trellised on a 5-wire hedge system and pest and disease control is managed according to the IPW rules and standards. Stand-by drip irrigation is adopted. The range of soils and variety of clones planted, have contributed to the complexity of the wine.
in the cellar : The hand-picked and hand-sorted grapes were destemmed and crushed into stainless steel tanks, fermented over seven days, reaching a peak temperature of 27° C. The juice was pumped over every three hours for 25 minutes at a time. On completion of fermentation, the wine spent a further three days on the skins for optimal colour and flavour extraction. The free-run juice was then drained off and the skins pressed gently. Malolactic fermentation occurred naturally. The wine was transferred into small new French oak, where it spent 16 months. After racking, the wine was given an egg-white fining and gentle filtration before bottling.