Dry Red

Terrific with steaks or chops—like lamb chops with frizzled herbs.

This incredible wine is a heritage blend from some of South Africa’s oldest registered vineyards. The Cabernet Sauvignon is from a 40-year-old dryfarmed bush vine vineyard planted on a granitic Polkadraai site, whereas the Cabernet Franc grows on the mid-slopes of the iron and sandstone soils of the Helderberg Mountain, both in Stellenbosch; the Cinsault is from South Africa’s two oldest registered red wine vineyards, including dry-farmed bush vines, planted in deep sandy alluvial soils in Wellington in 1900, South Africa’s oldest registered vineyard, and a parcel of dry-farmed bush vine planted on the richer, lower eastern colluvial slopes of the Franschhoek mountains, planted in 1932.

This wine was aged for 12 months in 500L French oak barrels, 30% new, then blended into seasoned 2000L Foudre for a further 8 months.

The growing conditions for the 2019 harvest were close to perfect and are reflected in the vineyards that combine this blend. The grapes were cooled, and the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc were destemmed into tanks while the Cinsaults were left with 100% of their stems intact and gently crushed. Minimal sulphur was added, and no further additions were made. The cap was maintained throughout natural yeast fermentation with a combination of gentle punch downs and pump overs, depending on the requisite of each wine during the 7-to-18-day fermentation period. After three to four weeks extended maceration, the wine was drained and pressed to barrel. The wines were racked in winter and blended to large wooden Foudre in February of the next year.

The Leeu Passant winery, based in Franschhoek, was established in 2013 with the purpose of harnessing the most exciting vineyards of the Cape in order to create multi-regional wines from vineyards aimed at expressing the Cape as a whole (not only from Franschhoek). The Name “Leeu Passant” is derived from Heraldry, referring to a ‘passing Lion’ and this is the symbol on the top of the capsule. Chris and Andrea Mullineux search far and wide for the best parcels of grapes for these wines, and make them at the Leeu Passant base, on Leeu Estates.