Stellenbosch Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc pairs well with a wide variety of foods. A great accompaniment to tomato-based stew, roasted pork belly, goats cheese and rich black bean or lentil dishes.

Situated on the cooler east-facing slopes of the Bottelary, this trellised vineyard was planted in 2004 with the CF1 clone of Cabernet Franc. On soils of decomposed granite, and at an altitude of 260-metres above sea level, this low-yielding vineyard produces smaller bunches that offer incredible concentration, structure and ripeness at lower sugar levels.

Spontaneous malolactic fermentation took place during the 11 months of maturation in 1000-litre oak foudre. The wine was racked just once, two weeks prior to bottling.

Hand-harvesting took place on 1-20 March 2019, with the grapes at 22,5 - 24,5 ̊ Balling. Bunches were de- stemmed directly into stainless steel tanks where whole berries were cold-soaked for three days before being inoculated with a carefully selected yeast strain. For optimum extraction pump-overs took place up to three times per day, with fermentation temperatures peaking at 28 ̊C.

DAMASCENE is a partnership between Jean Smit and David Curl, former owner of Château Gaby in Canon-Fronsac, Bordeaux. What began as a conversation around making wine from the Pinot Noir planted on Curl’s Elgin estate swiftly revealed the pair’s shared passion for celebrating unsung pockets of South African terroir. Following the maxim of ‘Less cult, more cultivation’, the founding philosophy of DAMASCENE is simple, yet unyielding: that the journey to great wine can only begin in the vineyard. “DAMASCENE is about seeking out memorable vineyards and sites that truly showcase the incredible diversity of terroir we have here in the Western Cape,” says Smit. “I spend countless days on the road, covering thousands of kilometres, visiting vineyards and farmers in search of special parcels of land.”