Shiraz

Excellent enjoyed with Mediterranean dishes such as spicy lamb and meat casseroles, roasts, oxtail and even the traditional South African barbeque.

The grapes for this wine came from vineyards planted in deep, decomposed granite and clay soils on a north-westerly slope, situated some 100m to 150m above sea level. The vines are grown under optimum conditions and are trellised on a seven-wire trellising system. They yielded 8 to 12 tons per hectare.

After malolactic fermentation, the wine was aged in wood for 18 months, using a combination of first, second and third fill French oak barrels.

The grapes were harvested by hand at 24.5° to 26° Balling in mid-March. After destalking and crushing, the juice was fermented for 10 days on the skins in stainless steel tanks at 25° to 27°C. A small portion of about 10% of the grapes are whole bunch fermented. We use a pump-over system.

Alto is a historic Stellenbosch wine estate dedicated exclusively to red wine, with vineyards planted on the elevated slopes of the Helderberg since 1919. Best known for Cabernet Sauvignon and its classic red blends, Alto has built a century-long reputation for structured, full-bodied South African reds with impressive ageing potential.