Elevation 393

Delicious with a char grilled whole red cabbage with lamb fat drippings. Slow roasted lamb or a fine rib eye steak.

Good post 2014 harvest rains and an early cold, wet winter meant a good build-up of reserves and dormancy. Warm weather in August resulted in early and importantly even bud-break. The warm, dry windy summer kept growth moderate and sped up ripening by about 2 weeks, as well as ensuring no health problems. Although fertility was good, bunches and berries were smaller than usual, contributing to the lower yield. The summer was warm to hot, but there were no real heatwaves during the critical ripening period, which with lower temperatures at night, ensured excellent flavour development and good pH and acidity. Despite such an early harvest, 2015 is emerging as one of the best ever harvests.

Mostly new French oak used. Blending done after 9 months. Time in barrel 20 months, which included several rackings to gradually clarify the wine and assist maturation.

Handpicking into 20 kg lugboxes. 100% destemming and gentle crushing directly into open top fermenters. Spontaneous natural yeast fermentation @ max. temp. 30°C. Time on skins 12 - 15 days, with cap of skins punched down (pigeage) 1 – 4 times a day. Wine drained directly to barrels together with single pressing from traditional basket press.

A small family winery at the end of the Upper Blaauwklippen Road in the mountains above Stellenbosch South Africa. Established in 1992 by architect David Trafford & artist wife Rita with the focus on high end red wines of great intensity & longevity using minimal intervention production methods.