Durbanville Hills Caapmans Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2000

John Platter: 3 stars
Veritas 2006 - Silver
Michelangelo Awards 2006 - Silver Medal
Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 2006 - Bronze

An intense ruby garnet colour with a bouquet of fresh berries and shades of green olives with an overlay of spice and vanilla followed by butterscotch and tobacco. A rich fruity taste on entry with multi shaded aromas and a good tannic skeleton. Well integrated fruit and wood flavours will develop further as the presence of oak gives way to varietal characters. Berry, spice and chocolate flavours are yet emerge from the oak cover. Its tannins have softened to release its amalgam of flavours. The winemaker suggests enjoying it with robust red meat and game dishes.

The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes for this wine were sourced from a north-east facing, low-yield vineyard (6 to 9 tons per hectare), established in 1990 and planted in deep, dark red soils at around 250 metres above sea-level.

The Merlot was picked from two north-east facing vineyards on the valley floor, located about 200 metres above sea level and planted in deep red soils. The vineyards, established in 1991, produced no more than 9 tons per ha.

Each vineyard was separately vinified. After one day of cold soaking, the must was fermented on the skins for eight days at 29°C until dry and left on the skins for two weeks to allow for extended maceration to soften the texture of the wine. The fermenting juice was mixed with the skins every two hours to impart an intensity of colour and flavour. Fermentation took place in stainless steel Disio tanks from Italy. Maximum fruit, colour and tannin extraction from the skins was made possible through continuous computer-regulated pump-over cycles and automatic temperature regulation. The fermenting juice was kept in closed, oxygen-poor tanks, while the skins remained fully immersed during the entire fermentation and maceration period.

After malolactic fermentation, 90% of the wine from each variety was matured separately for 24 months in tight-grained new French oak, and blended before bottling where after it was matured in the bottle for a further six months.