variety : Cabernet Sauvignon [ 100% Cabernet Sauvignon ]
winemaker : Gyles Webb & Rudi Schultz
wine of origin :
analysis : alc : 14.69 % vol rs : 1.4 g/l pH : 3.69 ta : 5.9 g/l
type : Red style : Dry wooded
pack : Bottle closure : Cork
in the vineyard : Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon - clone 163
Rootstock: Mgt 101-14
Age of vines: Planted 1985
Plant density: 3200 vines per hectare
Trellising: Vertical hedge
Pruning: 2-bud spurs every 15cm
Yield: 8.8 t/ha
Irrigation: Supplementary drip
Vintage: Like 2008, there was a late start to the 2009 harvest. Long, moderate to dry warm spells led to near perfect ripening conditions. Possibly one of the best vintages the Cape has seen.
Soil: Hutton - Deep homogenous red brown structureless loam, sand soil. Exhibits favourable physical characteristics such as good drainage, very good root penetration and has a high growth potential.
Possible Origin of 'Mint' / Eucalyptol Character
The most likely source of the 'mint' character could be attributed to the airborne transfer from the Eucalyptus trees, which border this specific Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard, to the grape berries. It is believed that the berries outer wax layer could adsorb Eucalyptol, a compound responsible for the aroma, released into the air by the trees. It subsequently becomes dissolved during the fermentation process, which takes place on the skins, inevitably giving the wine a 'minty' character unique to this vineyard.
in the cellar : Yeasts: Natural occurring yeasts
Fermentation temp: 27°C
Method : De-stalked, hand sorting of berries, crushed, pumped into stainless steel tanks, pumped over for 10 days, left for 6 days before pressing, racked to barrel for malolactic fermentation.
Wood maturation : 18 months in barrel. 50% new French oak, balance in older barrels.