Blend

Grapes are picked at optimal ripeness in small 18-kg lug boxes, and then transported to the winery in refrigerated trucks. Once at the winery, the grapes are stored in our cold room at 5°C. This brings down the temperature of the grapes, ensuring only firm and cool grapes go onto the sorting line, preventing oxidation and juice loss. The bunches are destemmed, and the berries are sorted with an optical sorter, scanning, and Sorting berries for premium color and size. Fermentation happens in 10- ton French oak fermenters and in 225L French oak barrels. The time on the skins lasts between 21 and 32 days. Malolactic fermentation occurs, and aging is completed in a 225L French oak barrel. Oak barrels with 80% new oak used in combination with 20% second-fill barrels.

The 2015 vintage was our driest and earliest harvest in a very long time, with a resultant small crop, very healthy harvest with low disease stress. With the absence of the usual heat waves in most regions, cooler than usual weather in February was ideal for ripening and harvesting. Lower temperatures at night during this time contributed towards good colour and flavour particularly in red cultivars. Temperatures escalated again during March, which led to the harvest ending approximately two weeks earlier than usual in most regions. Promising grape analyses with low pH plus good acidity and sugar levels, indicated high quality wines to come from this vintage. Smaller berries coupled with moderate temperatures during the harvest time led to good colour and intense flavour in this year’s red wines. The vineyards for this specific blend were chosen from our best sites at L’Ormarins in Franschhoek. The decomposed granite from L’Ormarins vineyards facilitates richness, fullness, and a darker fruit profile.

Grapes are picked at optimal ripeness in small 18-kg lug boxes, and then transported to the winery in refrigerated trucks. Once at the winery, the grapes are stored in our cold room at 5°C. This brings down the temperature of the grapes, ensuring only firm and cool grapes go onto the sorting line, preventing oxidation and juice loss. The bunches are destemmed, and the berries are sorted with an optical sorter, scanning, and Sorting berries for premium color and size. Fermentation happens in 10- ton French oak fermenters and in 225L French oak barrels. The time on the skins lasts between 21 and 32 days. Malolactic fermentation occurs, and aging is completed in a 225L French oak barrel. Oak barrels with 80% new oak used in combination with 20% second-fill barrels.