Merlot

Pair with crispy duck, cassoulet, spaghetti puttanesca.

The planting is 1.2m x 2.4m in vertical shoot positioning with spur pruning. (Clone 348A.) The age of the vineyard is between 8-12 years and under irrigation. The yield approximately 2kg per vine and berry aromatic sequence module is used for determining ripeness.

The wine was matured for 16 months in 300l custom made Burgundian oak barrels – 20% new oak and 80% 2nd and 3rd fill.

The grapes were hand-picked in small crates and cooled down in a pre-cooler to 1˚C. Berry sorting into the cellar. The grapes were not crushed, only destemmed after which it was cold soaked for up to 15 days. Long and slow fermentation was maintained with minimal punch downs. Malolactic fermentation occurred in the barrel.

Situated in the “Golden Triangle” of wine growing Eikendal vineyards flourish in a mountain and maritime microclimate ideal for the production of quality wine. Since 1981 the 76 hectare wine farm has been under the ownership of the Saager family from Zurich Switzerland. The Swiss owners recognised the great potential of the area and wasted no time in modernising the existing vineyards and establishing the cellar.