Mellasat 'M' 2004

"This wine brings together the nobility of Cabernet Sauvignon, the excitement of Shiraz and the uniqueness of Pinotage. The culmination of these experiences presents you with a wine that is structured, well balanced and time honoured. Grown, made and bottled at the cellar near Paarl through the art and endeavours of Stephen Richardson and Poena Malherbe. Your enjoyment of it is our pleasure."

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variety : Cabernet Sauvignon [ 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Shiraz, 7% Pinotage ]

winery : Mellasat Vineyards

winemaker : Stephen Richardson

wine of origin : Paarl

analysis : alc : 13.76 % vol rs : 3.0 g/l pH : 3.61 ta : 6.1 g/l va : 0.68 g/l so2 : 35 mg/l fso2 : 90 mg/l

type : Red style : Dry body : Full taste : Fruity wooded

pack : Bottle size : 0 closure : Cork

AWARDS

Commended at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2010

in the vineyard : The Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz grapes were produced on the farm (approx 254 metres above sea level). Most of the vines are trellised with drip irrigation (yields are 6 to 8 t/ha) but the Pinotage grapes were harvested from an un-irrigated block of bush vines at a higher altitude (approx 400 metres above sea level).

about the harvest:

	Cabernet Sauvignon	Shiraz	Pinotage
Harvest Date	1/03/2004	24/02/2003	7/02/2003
Balling	24.8°	24°	26°
pH	3.48	3.61	3.28
Acidity	7.4g/li	5.4g/li	6.1g/li

in the cellar : Yeast inoculated within 48 hours after crushing then fermented for 5 to 7 days on skins at an average temperature of 24 degrees C. Pressed at approx 5 degrees balling. Malolactic fermentation induced in tank and completed within seven weeks.

Matured as separate cultivars in small French (Nadalie & Toneleria Nacional) and American (Shiraz only) oak barrels (300 & 225li), 30% new, 20% second fill and 50% third fill for 30 months.

The wine was blended in March 2007 using 85% Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 vintage, 8% Shiraz 2003 vintage and 7% Pinotage 2003 vintage. It was fined in tank after blending using egg white, and was bottled in November 2007.

No filtering of the wine was undertaken except at bottling when a 5-micron filtration was used.

Production was 564 cases (equivalent to 12 bottles) and the wine will be released to the South African market in April 2009, and in the UK during October 2009.

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