Anwilka

Charcoal Cooked Kalahari Springbok Loin.

2018 will be remembered as one of the all-time great vintages for red wine in Stellenbosch - a warm summer followed by a cooler maturation period allowed for optimal grapes with intense flavour. It was a vintage that was made entirely in the vineyards, allowing the winemakers to guide and preserve the essence of what the vines had to offer.

Secondary malolactic fermentation took place in either new French oak or in tank followed by 19 months in a combination of 50% first fill to 50% second fill 400L French Oak barrels.

The grapes are hand picked early in the morning. Upon arrival in the cellar the second sorting process starts immediately to preserve the flavours & freshness of the grapes. In the cellar, the extraction process is carefully calculated. After completion of alcoholic fermentation, the free run juice was drained off overnight and the skins pressed the next day using a delicate basket press. Press fractions are kept separate and used, from time to time, for fine tuning during the blending process.

Anwilka Vineyards is located just 7 kilometres from the ocean in Stellenbosch’s prime Helderberg region. The property was purchased in the late 1990s and extensive replanting of 40ha of vineyards comprising primarily cabernet sauvignon shiraz and some merlot followed. The then owners Lowell Jooste (the former co-owner of Klein Constantia) along with internationally wellknown Bordeaux wine personalities Hubert de Boüard (co-owner of Chateau Angélus in Saint-Emilion) and Bruno Prats (former owner of Chateau Cos d’Estournel in Saint-Estèphe) released the eponymous maiden vintage blend of Syrah-Cabernet in 2005. Anwilka has since established a worldwide reputation for this red blend which has been described by Robert Parker as “the finest red wine I have ever had from South Africa”. Stellenbosch is recognized as the Cape’s premium red wine producing district. The significant maritime influence in the Helderberg region of Stellenbosch enables exceptional fruit quality. The matching of grape varieties to specific sites was carefully considered. Soils are of moderate potential allowing low vine vigour and consistently healthy vines. A gentle slope assisting drainage during the winter rains. Minimal irrigation is used and good water retention capacity avoids excessive hydric stress. The vineyards are run by manager Piet Neethling and the wine made by young South African oenologist Jean du Plessis. Much guidance is provided by Prats who successfully directed Cos-d’Estournel the leading Médoc 2nd growth for 28 years and de Boüard who steered Angélus to achieve St-Émilion first-growth status. In May 2012 Anwilka Vineyards merged with Klein Constantia purchased in 2011 by Zdenek Bakala and Charles Harman. De Boüard and Prats remain in the newly-merged company as minority shareholders and Jooste becomes a non-executive board member. The primary objective of sparing no cost when it comes to wine quality as previously stated by Jooste de Boüard and Prats has not changed. Bakala and Harman explained “The Stellenbosch vineyards of Anwilka will be a great addition to our portfolio and we are very happy to welcome Hubert and Bruno as partners. Together we want to establish Anwilka’s positioning as a global South African wine brand. Anwilka Vineyards currently produces a flagship red blend Anwilka and a second label red wine Petit Frère; the aim being to produce a new benchmark in quality for South African red wine.