Lourensford Estate Shiraz / Mourvèdre / Viognier 2012

This medium – bodied wine has a deep, dark red colour with blackberry, plum, cocoa and red cherry aromas on the nose. The palate is smooth, very well rounded and supported by a firm, yet elegant tannin structure with upfront flavours of dark chocolate and red berry fruit which also include hints of leather and cigar box as well as wild berry nuances.

This wine will pair well with game dishes ranging from pan-fried kudu or ostrich steak, roasted springbok haunch and venison pie to stuffed quail and roast duck. It will love grilled, braaied or barbecued foods as it latches on to the pronounced ‘browning’ flavours that develop with these cooking methods and it will not mind a rack of braaied spareribs with a sweet, spicy or sharp basting sauce. The SMV will also work with sweeter sauces, cranberry jellies and relishes that accompany many savoury dishes. It also goes with everyday dishes such as cottage pie, bangers and mash or mushrooms on toast. Serve between 16° and 20° C.

variety : Shiraz [ 93% Shiraz, 5% Mourvèdre, 2% Viognier ]
winemaker : Chris Joubert
wine of origin : Stellenbosch
analysis : alc : 14.5 % vol  rs : 2.4 g/l  pH : 3.35  ta : 6.5 g/l  
type : Red  style : Dry  body : Medium  taste : Fruity   wooded
pack : Bottle  size : 750ml  closure : Cork  

ageing : This vintage can be enjoyed up to 2019, but will reach its best drinking potential towards the end of 2016 and with optimum cellaring will peak only towards the end of 2017.

in the vineyard : 
Mild weather conditions during the harvest months resulted in long, slow and very beneficial ripening. The fruit was picked by hand and care was taken to protect the delicate flavours while harvesting by not damaging the fruit. 30% of the berries were kept whole to enhance the fruit flavours and the fermentation took place in 5 ton fermenters with regular, manual punch downs before the grapes were pressed and transferred to barrels for malo-lactic fermentation and ageing.

Altitude: 100-300m above sea level 
Age of vines: 5 - 13 years 
Rootstock: 101-14 Mgt
Clones: SH22, SH05, SH09, MT01, VI642 
Slopes: South to South West facing slopes
Row direction: North-South
Soil type: Situated on Tukulu, Oakleaf and decomposed granite soil

about the harvest: The harvest dates were March - April 2012.

in the cellar : Cultivar: 94% Shiraz, 5% Mourvedre, 1% Viognier Wood: The wine spent 13 months in 300 liter French oak barrels of which 30 % were new and 70% older barrels.
Closure: Hand selected quality cork.

find our wines in :