Shiraz

Deep ruby red colour. The wine is bursting with layers of red and black berries, mulberry and ripe plum flavours. Combine with French oak spice and a hint of cloves, this is a full-bodied wine with a well-integrated tannin structure. The wine is beautifully balanced, and the velvety smooth palate creates a lingering finish.

Technical Notes

Block selection was made based on vineyard history linked to wine style and quality, with the specific desired characteristics of the wine in mind. Grapes are from sustainably farmed vineyards in the Stellenbosch wine region. The vineyards are between 15- to 25-year-old and planted on well drained decomposed granite rich soils. The canopy stays naturally small which is a key feature in great Merlot as it avoids the unwanted green flavours associated with vigorous canopies. Green harvesting was done to ensure even ripeness.

All grapes were hand-picked and stored in a cold room overnight. Next morning the grapes were destemmed and the whole berries were transferred into stainless steel tanks for fermentation. Daily pump overs were done for gentle extraction. A portion of the wine was given extended maceration on the skins for two weeks before pressing. Malolactic fermentation took place in older 300 litre French oak barrels and the wine was matured for 8 months prior to bottling in the same barrels.