in the vineyard : This Distell label takes its name from the two great oceans that converge at the Cape, the Indian and the Atlantic. The Cape’s Coastal region enjoys a temperate climate, cooled by day-time maritime breezes from both oceans and a drop in night-time temperatures to allow grapes to ripen slowly. In addition, the moderate humidity means vines are far less prone to disease than in areas with higher moisture levels.
To ensure the finest quality, grapes are sourced from vineyards in cool growing areas. The winemaker works very closely with a team of viticulturists and he closely supervises pruning, suckering and canopy management practices for optimal crop yield. During the ripening season the grapes are tasted daily for ripeness and also chemically analysed to ensure they are picked when varietal flavours are most concentrated, tannins are ripe and there is a good balance between fruit and acid.
The Merlot grapes were sourced from trellised vineyards in the Stellenbosch, Malmesbury, Worcester and Robertson areas. The Shiraz grapes were sourced from trellised vineyards in the Stellenbosch, Paarl, Malmesbury and Worcester areas. The vineyards were established at varying altitudes from 50 to 180 metres above sea-level.
in the cellar : The grapes of both cultivars were fermented separately for five days on the skins. After pressing the juice was fermented without the skins in order to preserve as much fruit as possible as well as extract sufficient colour without extracting too much tannins.
Upon completion of the malolactic fermentation the wines were matured separately. The Merlot was matured in a combination of new, second and third-fill French oak barrels. The Shiraz was matured for nine months in French oak staves to add complexity to the flavour. The final blended result was 65% Merlot and 35% Shiraz.