SOLD OUT

Ernie Els Proprietor's Blend 2011

Name: Ernie Els Proprietor's Blend 2011
Brand: Ernie Els Wines
SKU: 32505

The 2011 Proprietor’s Blend exhibits an inky deep, black cherry hue and purple rim. Deep, exotic notes on the nose, whiffs of spear mint and flakes of dark chocolate compliment a melange of dense blue berry fruits. The strong Cabernet Sauvignon influence adds a salty liquorice attack following to cassis, grilled herbs and meaty edge from the dollop of Shiraz. Though full-bodied and rich, the mid-palate is fine and lively, leading to a polished, pure velvety, sweet-fruited finish.

variety : Cabernet Sauvignon [ 55%Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Shiraz, 5% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot ]

winery : Ernie Els Wines

winemaker : Louis Strydom

wine of origin : Stellenbosch

analysis : alc : 14.66 % vol rs : 3.5 g/l pH : 3.53 ta : 6.1 g/l

type : Red style : Dry body : Full wooded

pack : Bottle size : 750ml closure : Cork

AWARDS

Veritas Wine Awards 2013 - Silver
Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 2013 - Silver
Decanter World Wine Awards 2013 - Bronze
Veritas Wine Awards 2012 - Silver Medal

ageing : The serious tannins seem gently balanced, offering ample support for 5 - 10 years cellaring.

in the vineyard : The 2011 Vintage
The build-up to the harvest was fairly normal - a cold and wet winter, followed by a spring which saw nice, even budding of the grape varieties in the vineyard. November was fairly wet and December was the windiest month recorded in Stellenbosch since 1968. This resulted in dry conditions in the vineyards, which persisted throughout January and February. This was however helpful as it resulted in smaller berries which in-turn improved the intensity of the wines. These dry conditions and the heat wave experienced in early March hastened the harvesting of grapes by several weeks in order to limit the alcohol levels that would result from the fermented grapes. Supplementary irrigation on the properties maintained conditions for the later ripening varietals. Grapes harvested at the beginning of the season showed good analysis, especially on the pH front. During the latter half of the harvest season high temperatures caused sugars to shoot up while pH remained low. Further analysis also revealed low acids. Cellar space was under constant pressure as the heat ripened many varietals simultaneously. It was a good year in terms of yield and quality, especially on the early and mid-season cultivars.

About The Vineyard
The Proprietor’s Blend is a blend of all the six varieties cultivated on the property. These vineyards grow on the warm north-facing slopes of the Helderberg region within the Stellenbosch appellation. All six varieties thrive under these conditions and deliver rich, full-bodied red wines. With an altitude of approximately 250 metres above sea level and the cooling influence of the Atlantic Ocean just 15 kilometres away, the ripening period is extended by up to 3 weeks.

about the harvest: The grapes were hand-picked in the cool of early morning.
Harvest: February & March, 2011. 25.2° Brix average sugar at harvest

in the cellar : Grape bunches were gently destalked with a Bucher de-stalker and lightly crushed. On the sorting table, all excess stalks and rotten berries were removed carefully by hand. Fermentation took place in 7-ton, open-top stainless steel tanks with yeast WE 372 being added to the juice. The wines were pumped-over and punched-down manually 5 times per day ensuring maximum colour extraction from the skins. After primary fermentation the maceration period was 10 - 16 days before pressing. Each variety is maturated separately (micro-vinified) in oak barrels before blending and eventual bottling.

Cooperage: Aged for 18 months – 70% in 300 litre French Oak barrels & 30% in 300 litre American Oak barrels
Production: 4 875 X 6 X 750ml cases

email the winery

email this page

find our wines in :