Vineyard Notes:
From six sustainably farmed vineyard parcels in different parts of the Swartland, with an average age of 30 years: three parcels planted in the stony Shale and Schist based soils of the Kasteelberg; two parcels of dry-land, bush vines grown in the decomposed Granite of the Paardeberg; and one on the rolling, iron-rich soils west of Malmesbury.
Production Notes:
90% of the grapes are added to tank as whole bunches and the remainder is added destemmed. Minimal SO2 is added no further additions are made. The must is initially pigeaged once a day. After about 4 days, fermentation begins with indigenous yeasts and the wine is pigeaged once or twice a day, depending on extract and tannin development. Temperatures are kept below 28 °C. Fermentation lasts 7 to 10 days after which 3 to 7 weeks (also depending on tannin development) skin contact is given. The wine is then pressed to barrel for malolactic fermentation and maturation. Each parcel is racked in Spring to blend the wine, which is then returned to barrel and later bottled unfiltered and unfined.
Maturation:
11 months in French oak 500L barrels and a further nine months in tank.