Colour: Deep red.
Aroma: Prominent cherry and blackberry aromas with oak spice in the background.
Palate: A full-bodied wine with a good tannin structure and abundant flavours of blackberries, cherries and vanilla oak spice.
Enjoy on its own or with herb-crusted lamb roasts, game fish, mild cheeses, stuffed poultry and barbecues.
variety : Cabernet Sauvignon [ 100% Cabernet Sauvignon ]
winemaker : De Wet Viljoen
wine of origin : Stellenbosch
analysis : alc : 14.47 % vol rs : 2.30 g/l pH : 3.82 ta : 5.20 g/l
type : Red style : Dry body : Full wooded
pack : Bottle size : 0 closure : Cork
in the vineyard : Background
The Neethlingshof estate in Stellenbosch takes its name from its 19th century owner, Marthinus Laurentius Neethling, who served as mayor of Stellenbosch and was also a member of the Cape Parliament.
A member of the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative, acknowledged for its protection of indigenous habitat, the 378 ha winery has set aside 127 ha for conservation. It cultivates both red and white varietals, with the bias marginally in favour of whites. The main white varieties are Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer. The predominant soil types found on the farm are Oakleaf and Tukulu.
The vineyards
Planted between 1987 and 1991, the west-facing vineyards grow in decomposed granite and Table Mountain sandstone soils, at altitudes of around 224m above sea level. The vines are grafted onto nematode-resistant rootstocks Richter 99 and 110 and trellised on a five-wire vertical fence system.
in the cellar : After destalking and crushing, the mash was fermented using a chosen, pure yeast culture. After malolactic fermentation the wine was matured for 16 months in 90% French oak and 10% American oak, 45% of which was in new barrels and 55% second and third-fill.