Vondeling Erica Shiraz 2009

The Shiraz vines grow in ancient, well-weathered granite soils on south and southeast-facing slopes. In total, six clones of Shiraz can be found on the farm and only the best performing clones in each year go into the final blend.

Each clone contributes different characteristics to the wine and the different blocks are picked at varying degrees of ripeness, best suited to their character. This ensures a dynamic wine of superior quality. Highly selective hand picking guarantees that only the best fruit arrives at the winery.

After being chilled overnight, the fruit is bunch sorted before being destemmed and berry sorted. No pumps are used and the sorted berries are conveyed directly into open-top fermentation tanks. An initial period of cold soaking is applied before fermentation to prolong the maceration period, and promote gentle tannin and aromatic extraction.

During natural, wild yeast fermentation, hand plunging is the method of mixing and extraction. After fermentation, extended maceration takes place for at least two weeks. All wine is transferred directly to barrel where malolactic fermentation takes place. Only bigger French oak barrels are used, with about one third new and the rest 2nd- and 3rd-fill. The wine is allowed to mellow for 16 months before final selection and blending. After blending, this superior combination is allowed to integrate for a further 6 months before bottling.