Morgenster Lourens River Valley 2011

Name: Morgenster Lourens River Valley 2011
Brand: Morgenster
SKU: 36685

Colour: Opaque centre with lighter brick red edges, young and vibrant red.
Nose: Sweet whiffs of blackberry are at the fore, with ripe bramble and fresh plum. Also very prominent and intriguing are Cabernet Franc’s cinnamon and nutmeg influences. There are some classical herbaceous notes found in lavender and thyme, ending with yummy coffee and toffee.
Palate: Elegant entry, very plush and immediately filling and rewarding. All the enticing sweetness evident on the nose returns to the fore. Acidity, savoury and sweetness blend harmoniously and the rounded silky tannins are already soft and velvety.

This would be delicious paired with more hearty dishes like a tomato lamb neck potjie, but will also be friendly towards a rich, flavoursome seafood pasta or risotto. Hard cheeses with preserves are a must.

variety : Cabernet Franc [ 59% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot ]

winery : Morgenster Estate

winemaker : Henry Kotzé

wine of origin : Stellenbosch

analysis : alc : 14.06 % vol rs : 2.25 g/l pH : 3.66 ta : 5.69 g/l

type : Red style : Dry body : Full taste : Fruity wooded

pack : Bottle size : 750ml closure : Cork

AWARDS

Cab Franc Challenge (2018) - one of Top 3 Blends
James Suckling 92 points (2017)
John Platter 4 ½ stars
Tim Atkin 92 points (2015)

in the vineyard :

According to winemaker Henry Kotzé who worked on this, his second Bordeaux harvest for the Estate, the increasing maturity of the vines - they vary in age from 7 to 18 years - facilitated his and the viticulturist’s efforts to bring the fruit to the specific ripeness he wanted.

Keeping with the philosophy behind Morgenster Lourens River Valley, he focused on letting the fruit do the talking and making the wine to be a true reflection of the terroir and what can best be achieved with it under any given vintage. The rounded silky tannins are already soft and velvety and the wine shows all the makings of being in it for the long run.

Vineyard: Stellenbosch
Region: Helderberg ward

Vintage Conditions: The 2011 vintage was very dry, with no rain falling in the New Year and very little after veraison. December 2010 was the windiest in 50 years, contributing to a lower water holding capacity in the vineyards. This required close monitoring of the vines with maintenance of higher stress levels and irrigation only being done in extreme cases.

in the cellar : 16 months in French oak as follows: New Oak 30%, 2nd fill 10%, 3rd fill 20%, 4th fill 20%, 5th fill 20%

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