in the vineyard : Climate, soil, altitude and slope orientation is selected to capture as much varietal character as possible. Climate is mild with south and east facing slopes offering natural protection against late afternoon sun. Cooling breezes from both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans ensure rich, slow growing crops. Soils are predominately medium textured and well-drained with good water holding capacity.
The grapes were sourced from selected vineyards in Stellenbosch, located at altitudes ranging from 110 to 160m above sea level. The vines are grown in deep red decomposed granite, as well as sandy and gravel soils, ideally suited to the cultivation of Shiraz grapes.
about the harvest: The warm and dry weather during the 2000 vintage resulted in healthy grapes with smaller berries and a favourable skin-to-juice ratio. The Shiraz grapes benefited greatly from these conditions and wines with excellent colour and typical varietal characters were produced.
The grapes were harvested, on taste, at the end of February at 24º Balling.
in the cellar : In the cellar the juice was fermented cold at 28ºC for 4 days. After malolactic fermentation, the wine was matured for 18 months in a combination of French and American 300-litre oak barrels, using new (29% French and 16% American) and second fill (55%) French casks.