Colour: Deep red in colour with a bright ruby hue.
Bouquet: An abundance of plum, strawberry and mulberry aromas with subtle mint.
Taste: A full-bodied wine with red berry and plum flavours enhanced by a trace of smokiness. A succulent palate of fruity sweetness and soft, round tannins balanced with oak spice, making this an easily-accessible wine.
Excellent enjoyed on its own or served with oxtail, casseroles, steaks, game, pizza and pasta dishes.
variety : Merlot [ 100% Merlot ]
winemaker : Justin Corrans and Wayne Gabb
wine of origin : Cape Agulhas
analysis : alc : 14.33 % vol rs : 1.75 g/l pH : 3.40 ta : 6.30 g/l
type : Red style : Dry body : Full 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 only 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 8km from the sea, it is kept cool by the south-westerly and southeasterly 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 1 000ha, 120ha 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.
Lomond is a member of both the Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy and the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI),
which rewards producers for sustainable wine-growing practices.
Vineyards
The Merlot vineyards are planted on the lower-lying areas of the farm on slopes facing in southern and south-eastern directions, established in a mixture of Ouklip and kaolin soils. The vines are trellised on a 5-wire hedge system with pest and disease control managed according to the IPW rules and standards. Stand-by drip irrigation is employed. Both the range of soils and variety of clones planted has 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. Extraction was achieved through rack-and-return and pump-overs. Ferments were tasted daily to determine the level of extraction with pump-overs adapted accordingly. 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. The wine was transferred to small French oak barrels where it underwent natural malolactic fermentation and was next racked back into the barrels, where it matured for a period of 16 months. After maturation the wine was blended with a light fining and was gently filtered before bottling.