The wine shows a prominent varietal-dominant spicy nose with clove, nutmeg and black pepper backed by mulberry fruit and some leathery tones. The palate is medium-bodied with a juicy mid-palate and a complex, layered mineral finish.
Excellent with game, spicy pâtés, guinea fowl and roast beef or mutton.
variety : Shiraz [ 100% Shiraz ]
winemaker : Edmund Terblanche
wine of origin : Cape Winelands
analysis :
type : Red style : Dry body : Medium taste : Mineral wooded
pack : Bottle closure : Cork
in the vineyard : Origin
This wine was produced from grapes originating from vineyards in various regions in the Cape wine-lands - Walker Bay (29%), Swartland (27%), Paarl (26%) and Elim (18%).
Vintage
Predictions by farmers of early fruits, such as peaches, proved to be correct - the season was at least two weeks later than normal. Weather preceding ripening was cool and created the right conditions for an exceptional year, described by some as "European". Sugar levels raised slowly - a very positive aspect. Timing, however, was complicated by untimely rains and harvesting required pains-taking planning. In some areas, threatening rot necessitated earlier harvesting or Shiraz, but, in general, ripening was at lower sugar levels, resulting in elegant wines with lower alcohol levels.
Viticulture
Each vineyard grows in its own unique macro climate and in a large variety of soils. Different clones are represented. All vineyards are trellised according to the Perold system and managed to maintain a perfect balance between leaf coverage and yield. Thanks to the different terroirs, each region produces its own distinctive grapes, so the grapes from each area make a unique contribution to the flavour and structure of this wine. Each terroir also has its own time of ripening and grapes for this wine were harvested over a period of one month.
in the cellar : The grapes were sorted by hand and the whole berries were pumped into the tank. Grapes were then inoculated with a chosen yeast. Fermentation was at 25° Celsius. After fermentation the wine was left on the lees for a lengthened period of 20 days. The wine was then placed into 225-litre barrels where malolactic fermentation was completed. This was followed by a 14-month period of maturation in 225-litre oak barrels: 25% new, 30% second fill and 45% third fill (85% French, 10% American and 5% Hungarian). After selection of the best barrels, 25 800 cartons (6 x 750 ml) and 1 200 magnums were bottled on 24 November 2009 to be released as 2008 La Motte Shiraz.