Mont Rochelle Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

This Cabernet Sauvignon is classic in style with a lovely tannin structure and nuances of eucalyptus, cassis and blackcurrants. This wine is ready for drinking but will most definitely benefit from careful cellaring for at least 10 years from vintage. Ruby red with youthful purple hues, this wine displays an array of classic cigar box characteristics that are neatly integrated with layers of black fruits. The palate is a delicate balance of opulent fruit and acidity with tannins that are well defined and silky in texture.

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variety : Cabernet Sauvignon [ 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot ]

winery : Mont Rochelle Mountain Vineyards

winemaker : Dustin Osborne

wine of origin : Franschhoek

analysis : alc : 14.31 % vol rs : 2.92 g/l pH : 3.72 ta : 5.69 g/l va : 0.68 g/l

type : Red style : Dry body : Full wooded

pack : Bottle size : 750ml closure : Cork

ageing : 18 Months in French oak barrels

Cabernet Sauvignon was among the first varietals planted on Mont Rochelle, making the Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard blocks some of the oldest on the farm. These older vines yield low volumes of highly concentrated fruit for the production of our elegant and complex Cabernet Sauvignon wines. The wine-style is geared towards finesse and elegance, although can be powerful at times with good fruit intensity.

in the vineyard : Good reserves were accumulated during the post-harvest period (April and May), after which leaf fall occurred mostly at the right time. The winter started off late but the weather conditions were cold enough to break dormancy. Due to lower rainfalls, the dam and soil water levels were not sufficiently filled up to prepare the vineyards for the warmer part of the season. Spring came on time and the weather conditions were ideal which led to good, even bud burst. There were heat waves as early as the end of October with extended heat conditions throughout the summer and a second heat wave during January, which affected the vineyards and berries adversely. Harvest started a week earlier due to the warmer weather and it ended about two weeks earlier. However, the temperatures started cooling off from mid-February, which led to sluggish ripening in some cases, which was advantageous for colour establishment in some of our reds. One advantage of the dry season was that grape disease and pests were limited for the 2016 season.

about the harvest:

Harvest method: Hand-harvested
Harvested: 9th & 17th March 2016

in the cellar : Fermentation at 26-28 degrees Celcius with a gradual tannin extraction resulted in a full-bodied tannin profile. Maturation French oak barrels for 18 months, 20% of which was new, added fine structure and smoothness to the wine's profile. With bottle aging in our Bottle Maturation Cellar, the wine is now ready for drinking bur will most definitely reward careful cellaring for at least 10 years from Vintage.

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