Major Series Double Red

Ideal with grilled beef, lamb loin, roast venison, slow-braised dishes and rich sauces. Also pairs well with mature hard cheeses and classic steakhouse cuisine.

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 and Merlot vineyards grow on the warm, north-facing slopes of the Helderberg within the Stellenbosch appellation. These blocks sit at roughly 250 metres above sea level and benefit from the cooling influence of the Atlantic Ocean only 15 kilometres away. The extended ripening period that follows allows both varieties to reach full phenolic ripeness. The Cabernet Sauvignon grows in granite-rich soils that give the wine middle-palate weight, depth and clear fruit purity, while the Merlot from the same slopes develops rounded structure and balanced ripeness under these conditions.

Aged for 16 months in 300 litre French oak barrels (20% new). A small portion (5%) of the Cabernet Sauvignon matured in terracotta Amphora for 10 months.

The Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot were hand-picked in the early morning and processed block by block. Whole Cabernet berries were fermented in Italian Nico Velo concrete tanks, with small premium parcels fermented in terracotta amphorae. The Merlot fermented in open top tanks. Intermittent pump-overs and gentle punch-downs supported balanced extraction of flavour, colour and tannin, and each ferment was closely monitored from start to finish. Some batches from both varieties underwent extended maceration before pressing. The clonal Cabernet components were micro-vinified in oak, with a small amphora portion aged for up to ten months, while the Merlot matured in a mix of old and new oak barrels. Every batch was assessed ahead of final blending and bottling.

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.