Vineyard Blocks

1 block 18 year old vines on 7 wire vertical trellis with moveable foliage wires. Clone MO 192 on 101 - 14 rootstock. On low lying Helderberg mountain site. Poor gravelly clay soil.

Yield 4 tons / hect. (29hl/ha).

2nd block 12 year old vines on 7 wire vertical trellis with moveable foliage wires. Mix of “new clones” on R110 & R99 rootstocks. 'Mont Fleur' vineyard - high altitude mountain slope. Soil deep red Hutton. Yield 6 tons / hect. (39hl/ha).

3rd block 16 year old vines on 5 wire vertical trellis with moveable foliage wires.  Clone MO192 on R99 rootstock.  “Keermont” vineyard – high altitude mountain slope. Soil deep gravelly Hutton.  Yield 4 tons / hect. (29hl/ha)

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Vintage Conditions

Slightly above average winter rain was followed by a hot and dry spring and trouble-free growing season.  A little rain delayed harvest slightly, but refreshed the struggling vines.  The small berries and moderate ripening period produced concentrated grapes with lots of flavour and sugar.  Harvest date : 14 / 2 / 06 – 15 / 3 / 06 @ 24 – 24.8° B

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Production

Handpicking into 20 kg lugboxes.  Destemming and gentle crushing directly into small 2 ton open top fermentation tanks. Spontaneous natural yeast fermentation @ max. 30°C with the cap of skins punched down manually 1-3 times a day for 10 – 14 days. Wine drained directly to barrels together with single pressing from traditional basket press.

All our red wines undergo malolactic fermentation in the barrel. 35% new French oak was used from high quality coopers. Time in barrel 19 months, which included several rackings to gradually clarify the wine and assist maturation.

The wine was bottled unfiltered by hand on the property.

 Bottling date : 14 / 11 / 07. Production : 590 x 12 x 750ml; 50 x 3L.

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Tasting Notes

Attractive deep red colour. Rich red berry and cherry fruit with beguiling savoury earthiness, nuts and spices.  These flavours follow through on the palate with plenty of fine tannins and a classic long, dry finish. 

Probably best between 2009 and 2015.  Ideal with rich pasta and various meat dishes. 

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Analysis

Alc.  14.65           SG.  2.4           TA  6.0           pH  3.44            VA 0.59            SO2  24free 58total