Big Easy Cabernet Sauvignon

Classic steak wine.

The 2024 vintage will be marked by the resilience of our vines through a season of contrasts. Heavy winter rainfall left the soil well-watered, providing a solid start to the growing season. However, strong winds during flowering posed a challenge, affecting the main shoots and resulting in a reduced fruit set. Despite these setbacks, the remainder of the season brought dry conditions that allowed the vines to recover and thrive. Though overall production was the lowest in the past 15 years, this scarcity bodes well for exceptional quality, promising a standout vintage in 2024. The Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards grow on the warm north-facing slopes of the Helderberg region within the Stellenbosch appellation. The soils contain a high granite content which offers rich middle palate weight giving this wine exceptional depth and fruit purity. With an altitude of approximately 250 metres above sea level together with the cooling influence of the Atlantic Ocean just 15 kilometres away, this extends the ripening period by up to 3 weeks resulting in lovely phenolic ripeness.

Aged for 14 months in 300-litre French and American oak barrels (10% new).

The grapes were hand-picked in the cool of early morning and kept in cold rooms overnight before vinification. Primary fermentation took place in 7-ton open-top stainless-steel tanks with intermittent pump-overs and punch downs to ensure that the right flavours, aromas and tannins could be extracted from the berries. After primary fermentation some batches underwent extended maceration, before maturing separately in a combination of old and new French and American oak barrels.

As one of South Africa's leading ambassadors and one of the most recognizable faces in the world of sport it is befitting that Ernie chose Stellenbosch to produce his wines. In 1999 the concept of Ernie Els Wines was born and with the help of award-winning winemaker Louis Strydom they produced the maiden 2000 vintage of Ernie Els - a 'classic' Bordeaux blend. The intention from the outset was to focus on delivering a quality product that could hold its own in the company of the world's finest wines.