Major Series Cabernet Sauvignon

Port wine braised beef short ribs. Cabernet-braised venison cheeks.

The effect of the drought still lingers in the background. We continued our effort in the canopy, managing water use to irrigate as little as possible, focusing on our aim of quality. The 2019 season started surprisingly cool with no heat waves hitting us. One challenge that arose was uneven bud burst – this, we managed selectively during harvesting, followed by berry selection at the cellar. The mild stress of the vines was eased by the cooler temperatures that we experienced, allowing for smaller berries that are always of importance to us. During fruit ripening, the cooler weather persisted. This gave the grapes some fantastic hang time and development, which we usually can’t afford due to the fast sugar accumulation. The Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Petit Verdot vineyards grow on the warm north-facing slopes of the Helderberg region within the Stellenbosch appellation. The Hutton Clovelly soils contain a high gravel 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 17 months in 300 litre French Oak barrels (20% new)

The various Cabernet Sauvignon clones grown at the property were hand-picked, and great care was taken to ensure each block was processed separately. The bunches were sorted and destemmed before secondary sorting via an optical sorter took place. The whole berries were fermented in open top tanks. Premium selection grapes from selected parcels within the various clonal blocks were fermented in smaller open fermenters. Intermittent pump-overs and punch downs were done to ensure that the right flavours, aromas and tannins could be extracted from the berries. All ferments were meticulously monitored to ensure an optimal balance between flavour and tannins. After primary fermentation some tanks underwent extended maceration. Each clonal batch of Cabernet was micro-vinified in oak barrels before blending and bottling took place.

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.