Lomond Merlot Rosé 2012

Colour: Strawberry red.
Bouquet: Fresh strawberries, floral aromas and candyfloss.
Taste: A fresh wine with lots of fruity flavours such as strawberries, peach and melon, and balanced by a crisp acidity.

Excellent served chilled on its own or with sushi, fish, shellfish, poultry, salads and cream-based dishes.

variety : Merlot [ 100% Merlot ]
winemaker : Kobus Gerber
wine of origin : Cape Agulhas
analysis : alc : 12.38 % vol  rs : 2.73 g/l  pH : 3.32  ta : 6.31 g/l  
type : Rose  style : Dry  taste : Fruity  
pack : Bottle  closure : Screwcap  

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 south-easterly 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 (Viticulturist Wayne Gabb)
The vineyard from which the fruit was sourced is situated on a south-facing slope on the lower-lying areas of the farm with a mixture of soil types comprising mainly Estcourt, Dresden and Cartref. Two different Merlot clones have been planted on Richter 110 rootstocks. The vines are trellised on a five-wire hedge system and supplementary irrigation is given by drip irrigation when required. Disease control is managed according to the IPW guidelines and natural predator release is practised against pests. Soils are inoculated with compost teas and beneficial micro-organisms to improve the soil food web. Two different Merlot clones have been planted on Richter 110 rootstock.

about the harvest: The grapes were hand-harvested at 22° Balling during February.

in the cellar : The fruit was gently crushed and the juice separated from the skins in dejuicers. The must was chilled and skin contact was carefully monitored in order to obtain the desired colour. The juice was cold-settled overnight. After cold-settling the clarified juice was racked and inoculated with a selected yeast and fermented in stainless steel tanks at 13°C. After fermentation the wine was racked from the yeast lees, stabilised and filtered prior to bottling.

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OTHER VINTAGES

Merlot