A lively, bright, plum-coloured wine with a complex nose of ripe berry, layered fruit and undertones of vanilla. The aroma carries into a firm, mouthfilling palate bursting with ripe tannins, rich fruit and layers of chocolate, which linger on the aftertaste. An ideal complement to rare roast beef or leg of lamb.
in the vineyard : A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc. All the Cabernet Franc grapes for this wine were harvested from a single block situated on the north-facing slopes of the Groot Drakenstein mountain range. The Merlot was harvested from several east and north-east facing vineyard blocks situated in the medium and lower slopes of the Simonsberg range. Soils vary from decomposed granite, to stoney clay soils, to rich, dark, alluvial soils.
Spur pruning and the removal of unnecessary shoots left only the two to three best-developed shoots per spur. Two weeks before harvest, leaves were removed between bunches within the canopy, taking care that no grapes were exposed to direct sunlight in the process. This resulted in improved aeration in the bunch zone, ensuring the retention of flavours in the berries.
in the cellar : Picked at 24° Balling, the Cabernet Franc grapes were fermented at 28-30°C, and macerated for two weeks on the skins to enhance the structure of the wine by softening the tannins. The Merlot was picked at 23° Balling, fermented at 30-32°C, and macerated for 17 days before pressing. 50% of the wine was matured for 12 months in new French oak and 50% in 2nd-fill barrels. It was racked twice during this period. The two varietals were aged separately and then blended. This wine was filtered very lightly, and therefore may deposit a little sediment with time.