Tasting Notes

Carignan is now the leading variety (39%). Delicate pretty nose. Dark fruit as well as raspberry. Up front fruit on the attack with supporting tannin, fresh acidity, tight and firm. Tannins seem to be ripe stem based and work well. Very much more fruit forward than previous vintages with less savoury character. Approachable now. 94/100.

Darren Brogden

Grapes from seven different Swartland vineyards are used, focusing on schist and granite soils of the mountains of the Swartland. The blend consists of Carignan (39%), Syrah (31%), Pinotage (16%), Cinsaut (9%) and Grenache (5%). 30 – 50% whole bunches are sorted and then used in the bottom of an open tank. The rest of the grapes are all sorted, destemmed but not crushed and added to the tank on top of the whole bunches. Maximum healthy pre-ferment cold soak with a daily punch down and CO2 gas coverage are maintained. Spontaneous fermentation occurs in the tank and we allow maximum extended skin contact (approximately 4 weeks in total). Grapes are gently pressed and drained to old French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation. Wines are matured in barrel for seventeen months.

Total production: 7 896 bottles

pH: 3.56
RS: 2.6 g/L
Alcohol: 13.5% alc
TA: 5.9 g/L
Yield: 4.0 - 5.0 t

Visit the winemaker’s website

David and Nadia website