in the vineyard : This wine has been made by Jan de Waal from a single vineyard block of unirrigiated, trellised vines growing high up on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountains in very deep, red soils. The cool micro-climate ensured a long and slow ripening season to produce full-flavoured grapes with a good balance between fruit, colour and tannins.
about the harvest: As with all the other wines in the range, the grapes were hand-picked on taste. Harvesting took place when they had achieved a mulberry richness with traces of deep, earthy truffle flavours. Harvesting was towards the latter part of March at 24 to 25 degrees Balling.
in the cellar : After destalking, the grapes were pumped into steel tanks, inoculated on the skins and left to ferment over seven days at 24 degrees Celsius, until dry. Once racked off the skins, pressed juice was added, after which spontaneous malolactic fermentation occurred. Racked twice, the wine then went into 300 litre, tight-grain, medium-charred, mostly Nevers oak for nine months. Just 18 barrels of a total of 63 were used for the final blend. Some 6 600 bottles have been produced.