variety : Cabernet Sauvignon [ 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot ]
winemaker : Andre van Rensburg
wine of origin : Coastal
analysis : alc : 15.0 % vol rs : 3.6 g/l pH : 3.42 ta : 5.9 g/l va : 0.66 g/l so2 : 96 mg/l fso2 : 45 mg/l
type : Red style : Dry wooded
pack : Bottle
in the vineyard : The grapes were all selected from Vergelegen’s Stonepine, Rondekop, Mondavi and Kopland Vineyards. These vineyards are all north, northwest facing, with granite, Hutton and Clovelly soils. Planting density is 4000 / ha. Average yield was 4 tons per hectare. The preferred Cabernet clone is 46, for Merlot, we used the Italian clones 12 & 192 as well as the French clones 181& 3.
in the cellar : The Cabernets were fermented in open tanks at high temperatures (28-32°C) and punched down every 3-4 hours in order to maximise colour and tannin extraction. Post Fermentation maceration of 21 days. Malolactic fermentation took place in 225 litre barrels and the wine received 3 rackings in the first year. The wine was matured for 18 months in small French oak of which 70% was new.