Vineyard
Dry land vineyards with Hutton/Kroonstad soils. The vines have an average yield of 9 tons/ha. The hedge-row trellising system is employed. Average age of vines – 20 years.

Vinification
The grapes were picked at 25 °Balling and cooled overnight in a refrigerated container. The grapes were de-stalked and crushed into both closed and open fermentors. Cold maceration lasted 3 days, after which the must was inoculated with LALVIN D254.

During maceration and fermentation, the cap of the open “kuipe” was plunged every 4 hours. The closed fermentors was pumped over three times a day, including an aerated pump-over. The open-fermented portion was allowed three days of post-fermentation maceration prior to pressing, while the tank-fermented portion was pressed at 1.2 °Balling.

Malolactic fermentation was completed in tank, after which the wine was racked to barrel for maturation.

Maturation
The wine was matured in two thirds French and one third American oak barrels. First, second and third fill barrels were used, with the wine having spent a total of 12 months in oak.

Tasting Notes
A full-bodied dry red wine, reflecting an intense ruby red colour. Sweet vanilla and dark fruit flavours follows through on the palate, to produce a complex wine with juicy tannins and a velvety finish. Will mature well over the next 7 years.

Analysis
Alcohol: 14.0 %
Total extract: 30.2 g/l
Residual sugar: 2.3 g/l
Total acidity: 5.9 g/l
pH: 3.44
Total SO2: 106 mg/l