Colour: Dark ruby.
Aroma: Floral and violet fragrances interwoven with oak, spice and dark chocolate.
Taste: Rich and full with plum and berry flavours, supported by soft tannins.
A delicious all-rounder that will partner both red and white meat dishes such as garlic and rosemary roast chicken and Beef Wellington, as well as pasta and soft cheeses.
variety : Malbec [ 100% Malbec ]
winemaker : De Wet Viljoen
wine of origin : Stellenbosch
analysis : alc : 14.05 % vol rs : 3.7 g/l pH : 3.52 ta : 5.1 g/l
type : Red style : Dry body : Full taste : Fruity 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
The Malbec vineyards, established in Tukulu and Villafonté soils, are located on a westerly slope between 120m and 150m above sea level. The vines were planted in 2003 and are trellised onto a seven-wire vertical hedge system and grafted onto Richter 110 rootstock. They receive supplementary irrigation through a drip system only when necessary.
Viticulturist: Hannes van Zyl
in the cellar : After crushing, the juice remained on the skins for 24 hours. Fermentation took place in rotation tanks between 27°C to 29°C and was completed in small barrels. After malolactic fermentation, the wine was matured in oak casks.