Western Slopes

Black pepper and poppy seed crusted venison loin.

The Riebeeksrivier farm lies on the slopes of the Kasteelberg, overlooking the Swartland with distant views of Table Mountain. Its unique terroir—marked by Rhône-like Malmesbury shale— is strongly reflected in the character of the fruit. The vineyards from the Western Slope inspired this wine. Its shale-rich soils and sun-facing aspect results in concentrated, yet finessed, textured and well-structured wines. The region was able to finally recover from the difficult drought period thanks to the increased rains. There were favourable climatic conditions during the growing season, which resulted in an early harvest due to early flowering and fruit set. Excellent fruit with exceptional flavour was produced as a result of the mild ripening circumstances and healthy canopies.

For 16 to 18 months, the wine was matured in fourth- and fifth fill French oak barrels as well as stainless steel tanks.

All of the components and vineyard blocks used to create the Cape of Good Hope Western Slopes blend are handpicked at their optimum ripeness and processed separately. The blend’s composition may vary slightly from year to year because no vintage is identical, and certain cultivars may perform better in certain years. The components undergo fermentation in a combination of stainless-steel tanks and Italian cement tanks (Nico Velo) following sorting by the optic sorting machine. These various fermenting tanks add depth to the wine and highlight the unique characteristics of each block.

This is a range created in recognition of the Cape of Good Hope’s vinous heritage which stretches back more than 350 years when the first Governor of the Cape planted grapes. These unique wines are the result of irreplaceable parcels of old vines and site specific terroirs. The labels reflect the grape variety as well as the origin and singular characters behind them.