Rouge

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The 5 grape varieties used to make up this blend ripen at different times and were harvested at 24° to 26° Balling. Each varietal was vinified separately and fermented on the skins for over seven days at 25° to 27°C in closed stainless-steel tanks. The fermenting mash was pumped over several times a day.

The 5 varietals were handpicked from trellised vineyards which grow in Hutton and Glenrosa soils. The north and north-west facing vineyards are situated against the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain, some 100m to 500m above sea level, and benefit from the cooling effects of the afternoon maritime breezes during the ripening season. At the time of picking the vines were between 3 and 25 years old and yielded 6 to 10 tons per hectare.

After malolactic fermentation the component wines were aged for 14-16 months in a combination of first-, second- and third-fill barriques, mostly of French and American oak, before the desired blend was made.