Oldenburg < CL° Red 2022

This wine features a slightly dusty nose with aromas of grenadilla seed, red and green peppers, paprika, and graphite. On the palate, it offers dense black and red fruits like mulberry and bramble, complemented by generous spices such as thyme, rosemary, and tomato leaf. It has a lively mouthfeel with a generous acidity and tannins that are present but not overwhelming, promising to develop further with time. A delightful wine that is bound to be a conversation starter and should be a staple with food.

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variety : Merlot [ 73% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc ]

winery : Oldenburg Vineyards

winemaker : Nic Van Aarde

wine of origin : Stellenbosch

analysis : alc : 14 % vol rs : 2.8 g/l pH : 3.69 ta : 5.5 g/l

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

pack : Bottle size : 750ml closure : Screwcap

<CL° is the concept range in the Oldenburg Vineyards stable. A concept means the representation of an idea. For us, the <CL° range represents a key part of the Oldenburg Vineyards story: that we are cooler than Stellenbosch (in terms of climate). There are 8 Natural Elements that make our corner of the Banghoek Valley a special place to make wine, and three of these elements (the mountain ranges, the elevation and the winds) influence the coolness of our valley. This cooler climate elevates the quality of our grapes and wine significantly, through slower and more even ripening. Cooler climate, cooler wines.

in the vineyard : Stellenbosch, in general, played host to a perfect winter, with steady cold units being accumulated through to the end of August with even rainfall throughout the winter. The good winter cold led to a particularly even bud break. Spring was cool and dry, which favoured the flowering and fruit set for the vintage. Good summer rainfall meant the vigour needed to be kept in check. Despite a relatively hot and dry ripening period, temperatures were kept moderate due to our higher altitude and ultimately led to an exceptionally good harvest with great sugar accumulation.

about the harvest: The Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes were harvested from a North- Easterly facing vineyard on Rondekop.
Harvest: 1 March - 21 March 2022

in the cellar : All grapes were stored in a cold- room overnight and then destemmed and sorted by hand, spending five days in a tank to cold soak. The Cabernet Franc and Merlot berries were kept whole before fermentation. All grape cultivars underwent pump overs 1-3 times per day and were gently basket pressed once dry. Finally, the juice was returned to tanks for malolactic conversion and then transferred to French oak barrels, of which 18% were new barrels, to mature for 18 months.

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