Camino Africana Cabernet Franc

Calve’s liver & creamy onions, or venison with redcurrant jelly, or roast baby beef with anchovies & crispy potatoes.

The grapes come from a really old Cabernet Franc vineyard, planted on an old seabed in the Helderberg Basin, near the town of Somerset West – facing the ocean. The soils reminded David very much of the Graves region in Bordeaux, suggesting the potential to make a great wine from this vineyard that is being threatened by urban encroachment. In fact, it’s the last remaining vineyard of any sort within this fully developed community.

24 months maturation 30% New and 70% Second Fill 300 litre Allier Hogshead barrels.

Nearly five tons of Cab Franc grapes (that’s all of it) were carefully sorted and lightly pressed into a 5-ton fermenter. After 3 days of cold soaking and allowing spontaneous fermentation to take place, pump overs occurred 3 times per day for 14 days. 10 full days of post ferment maceration was followed by a soft press and further 24 months’ maturation in new and second fill 300 liter Allier hogshead barrels. Bottled with minimal filtration and no fining to maintain the wine’s fine structure. This is as non-interventionist as he could manage. The fruit is pure and very expressive, and challenges the notion that this grape should be used for blending.

Edgebaston wines are made by David Finlayson on the Finlayson family vineyards in Stellenbosch. The range of wines is made to reflect the personality and winemaking philosophy of the region and the Finlayson family. Quality and a holistic approach to the production of our wines is our ethos. We strive to farm the land grow the grapes and make the wine in an environmentally friendly manner whilst ensuring that each wine is world class. It is the Finlayson family's firm belief that Stellenbosch has always and will remain South Africa's finest winemaking region this is where we wish to continue to create wonderful wines for the discerning wine collector.