in the vineyard : The grapes were harvested in the Devon Valley, Stellenbosch Kloof and Helderberg regions from vineyards planted on south and south-west facing slopes to create cooler microclimates.
The vineyards in Devon Valley and Stellenbosch Kloof are trellised on a five wire hedge system and received supplementary irrigation. The vines are between 15 and 20 years old and planted on Richter 99 rootstock.
about the harvest: The grapes were hand-harvested at 24° Balling from mid to end March.
Warmer weather during winter and spring caused uneven budding and ripening. Consequently berries were smaller than usual at harvest. The good skin/juice ratio achieved enhanced the colour and intensity of the red wines.
in the cellar : The grapes were fermented on the skins for ten to twelve days, juice racked off the skins, and the skins then pressed. The press juice was then added back to add complexity.
The grapes from selected vineyards were separately vinified to maintain their individual characters. After fermentation, selections were made and placed in wood.
More than half (55%) of the wine spends ten to twelve months in 300 litre barrels. The rest was left to mature in stainless steel tanks before blending.