Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon

Enjoy with grilled veal chops, meaty stews or a fantastic piece of steak.

Our Damascene Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards (a combination of CS337 and CS46 clones) were planted as far back as 2001. Strict care is taken to keep the vineyards virus-free. These mature vineyards are all based on granitic outcrops situated between 14 and 20 km from the Atlantic Ocean. The vineyard on the edge of the Vlottenburg (towards the Polkadraai Hills) has an expansive layer of laterite underneath the decomposed granitic topsoil, contributing to a more structured component. Being on a south-eastern slope, this site always has a longer ripening period and possesses the highest concentration of tannins, which lends impressive structure to the wine. The site on the Bottelary slopes faces west and has gravelly soils, with a higher clay content in the subsoil. This adds broadness to the final wine. The Helderberg vineyard faces northeast, and produces extremely low yields. The berries are small, with very thick skins, and these attributes lift the fruit intensity, add concentration, and provide a striking acidity.

The wine spends 22 months in oak to gradually enhance the clarity and stability of the wine, and to avoid the need for fining. The wine is racked twice; once at 12 months, and again two weeks before bottling.

A series of batches were hand-harvested between 20 and 22 March 2019 at 24.9 -25.9 ̊B. Smaller open-top tanks were used for primary fermentation, where pump-overs take place 2-3 times per day. After spontaneous fermentation commenced, pigeage was performed where needed. Fermentation temperatures peaked at 28 ̊C. Spontaneous malolactic conversion and maturation take place in new French oak barriques, as well as in 1000-litre foudres.

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.”