The Full Circle 2022 is a masterfully crafted Rhône-style blend, offering a rich tapestry of flavors. Aromas of dark plum, blackberries, and violets intertwine with subtle notes of smoked spice and earthy undertones. On the palate, velvety tannins support layers of ripe black fruit, hints of mocha, and a touch of white pepper, leading to a lingering, complex finish. This wine exudes both power and elegance, showcasing Saronsberg's hallmark style.
variety : Shiraz [ 76% Shiraz, 12% Grenache, 9% Mourvedre, 2% Viognier, 1% Roussanne ]
winemaker : Dewaldt Heyns
wine of origin : Tulbagh
analysis : alc : 14.65 % vol rs : 4.0 g/l pH : 3.39 ta : 5.7 g/l va : 0.50 g/l so2 : 89 mg/l fso2 : 27 mg/l
type : Red style : Dry body : Full taste : Fragrant wooded
pack : Bottle size : 750ml closure : Cork
in the cellar : The Shiraz, Mourvèdre and Grenache components were bunch sorted, destemmed, and then berry sorted on vibration tables by a team of 25 highly skilled staff. The berries were gently crushed into a satellite tank and placed separately in open fermenters.
The wine underwent a cold soak for 3 days at 8°C, protected by a CO2 blanket, with daily pump-overs during this period. Once the cold soak was complete, the Shiraz, Mourvedre and Grenache tanks were warmed to 18°C and inoculated with yeast. Fermentation was allowed to peak at 28°C before being lowered to 24°C. The fermenting caps were manually punched down three times a day, and the wines were pumped over twice daily.
After fermentation the skins were pressed into 80% new French oak barrels. The Viognier and Roussanne was cold fermented separately in 500L French oak barrels.
Malolactic fermentation was completed in barrel after inoculation with malolactic bacteria. Once malolactic fermentation was finished, a minimal sulfur dose was added, and the wines were left on their gross lees for 11 months. After this period, the wines were racked, blended, and returned to barrel for further aging. After 20 months in oak, the wine was racked again and filtered through a coarse sheet filter before bottling. The wine was then bottle-aged for 11 months before being released.