Straw Wine

This wine is a dessert all on its own - a real treat after the meal. Delicious with biscotti and various nuts.

Another excellent vintage to follow 2017 after 2 years of drought. Winter started a bit late, but was cold enough to get dormancy off to a good start. Bud break started late as winter dragged on into September. The early growing season was windy with cold and wet periods leading to uneven flowering and berry set resulting in lower yields. The rest of the growing season was dry and hot followed by much cooler temperatures in February with especially cool nights. Disease pressure was low and with the late start to harvest we had healthy grapes with small bunches and small berries. Harvest a little later than usual and the dry harvest conditions conducive to the natural drying process.

Fermented with natural yeasts and matured for 19 months using 50% new 225L French oak barrels. Racked while in barrel to remove heavy sediment

The grapes were picked at optimum ripeness and laid out on drying racks in 70% shade for about 3 weeks. This allows the grapes to concentrate sugars, acids and flavours, before re-harvesting in the cool mornings.

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.