Stark-Condé Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Merlot and Cabernet Franc gives complexity and structure to this rich Cabernet Sauvignon. Full and round with soft tannins.

variety : Cabernet Sauvignon [ 85% Cabernet, Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot ]

winery : Stark-Conde Wines

winemaker : José Conde

wine of origin : Oude Nektar Farm

analysis : alc : 14.57 % vol rs : 1.7 g/l ta : 5.4 g/l

type : Red

pack : Bottle closure : Cork

in the vineyard :

Clone: CS46C, CS163C, CS27A, 10C, 1C,

Rootstock: Richter 110, 99

Age of vines: cabernet 10-22 years at harvest; merlot and cab franc 12 years; petit verdot 9 years

Trellis: 5-wire vsp

Irrigation: supplemental drip irrigation

Vineyard elevation: 200-310m

Slope: South East and North West

Fruit source: from 4 different vineyard blocks, mostly from our own Oude Nektar farm

The grapes for this wine are from 4 different cabernet vineyards and our best merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot vineyards, all at a mix of different elevations. Although all are on the decomposed granite soils typical of the hillsides in Jonkershoek, the soil textures vary quite a lot and that, together with the differences in elevations and clones, gives a variety of different flavour profiles to the grapes.

about the harvest:

ºB at harvest: 24.5-25.5º

The merlot and cabernet franc grapes were picked in late February and the cabernet sauvignon grapes and the Petit Verdot were harvested in mid-March. The grapes were picked into small lug boxes.

in the cellar :

The grapes were cooled overnight to about 14 degrees before being hand-sorted and crushed into small open-top fermentation vats. After being cold-soaked for a couple of days, the musts were inoculated with commercial yeasts. A range of yeast was used, several domestic and an imported Bordeaux yeast. About 20% also underwent fermentation with the natural yeasts.

The fermentations were hand punched-down every 2-4 hours for the first half of fermentation and every 6-8 hours until dry. At dryness, the wine was basket-pressed and racked to barrel for malo-lactic fermentation and barrel maturation. Only 300l French oak was used, of which about 35% were new. After 18 months barrel maturation, the blend was assembled and put back to barrels for a further 4 months integration. Bottled unfined and unfiltered after 22 months barrel maturation.

Total production: 1604 (9l) cases

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