Nitida Calligraphy 2010

This flagship Calligraphy is a true testament to our brand promise of hand-made wine.

Easter with great uncle Harry. Hot cross buns and lightly roasted Arabica coffee. Infused with leather, cherry and sandalwood or dry tobacco leaf.

Will glamourise stewed pheasant or lamb shank.

variety : Merlot [ 48% Merlot 32% Cabernet Sauvignon 11% Cabernet Franc; 9% Petit Verdot ]
winery : Nitida
winemaker : RJ Botha
wine of origin : Durbanville
analysis : alc : 14.52 % vol  rs : 2.45 g/l  pH : 3.71  ta : 5.77 g/l  
type : Red  style : Dry  body : Full   wooded
pack : Bottle  closure : Cork  

AWARDS
  • 2009 Veritas gold medal
    Diners Club Young Winemaker of the Year (in 2010)
  • 2006 SPECIOSA Michelangelo silver AND BEST PRODUCER ON SHOW (in 2009)
    Veritas Silver (in 2009)
  • CALLIGRAPHY 2001 - 2006 Platters 4 stars
  • 2002 Veritas silver
  • 2000 National Young Wine Show gold medals
    Michelangelo International - silver medal
    Wine magazine - 4 star rating
  • 1999 Veritas gold medal
    Wine magazine - 4½ star rating
    International Wine & Spirit - commended
    Trophy Wine Show , Museum Class bronze
  • 1998 Veritas gold medal
    National Young Wine Show - gold medal & class winner (Stell.)
    Wine magazine - 3 star rating
  • 1997 Veritas gold medal
in the vineyard : Cultivar:  48% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc & 9% Petit Verdot

This is the second year that the Calligraphy is once again being made exclusively from our own vineyards. The 2010 sees the addition of Petit Verdot to our award winning blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Although just 4 rows of Petit this cultivar adds to the wines lovely dark colour and its high tannin lends a beautiful structure. The Merlot in 2010 was so fabulous that it is not overpowered but complemented by the higher than previous 11% addition of Cabernet Sauvignon.Now that all our lower, warmer red vines have been grafted on a special "earlier ripening rootstock", we are able to produce fully ripe, fuller bodied reds from our cool Durbanville area more consistently than in the past

about the harvest: All grapes were hand picked, (never more than 200 baskets a day), bunches were hand sorted at a slow tempo of 1 ton per hour. All unwanted berries and stems were removed, pressing only the best berries.

in the cellar : Fermentation embraced all the old traditional Bordeaux practises ( Pigage, Remontage and Delastage). Process included post fermentation maceration, 4 weeks on skins. Pressed and taken to barrel.Each cultivar was harvested, fermented and aged separately before blending and bottling.

Wood: 11 months, 100% French (25% new).

find our wines in :

OTHER VINTAGES

Merlot
Merlot
Merlot
Merlot
Merlot