Bright, ruby colour with flashes of red garnet. Spice, ripe blackberry, cherries and plumbs with a hint of licorice on the nose. Spice and ripe fruit combine on the palate of this muscular wine with fresh tannins but subtle oaking. Supple, elegant yet full-flavoured, it lingers long on the aftertaste.
IN THE VINEYARD
The Sangiovese was grown in dryland vineyards in Groenekloof, Darling, the source of some of the country’s leading quality grapes, while the Barbera came from the cool-climate area of Durbanville, and the Nebbiolo from the high slopes of Simondium. All the fruit was hand-harvested and hand-sorted at the cellar.
THE HARVEST
The Sangiovese was picked at 23° Baling, the Barbera at 24° Balling and the Nebbiolo at 23° Baling.
IN THE CELLAR
Each of the three varietals as separately vinified. IN each instance, 24 hours of cold maceration was followed by two weeks of fermentation on the skins in both open fermenters and wooden vats. Post-fermentation maceration continued for a further three days. The wine was racked off the skins into 500 litre French Radoux oak barrels, where it underwent malolactic fermentation. The choice of medium-sized barrels was to import a gentle wood influence.
