Merlot

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The grapes were harvested at between 23,5 to 25 degree balling. The handpicked and hand-sorted grapes were de-stemmed and crushed into stainless-steel tanks before being fermented over seven days (reaching a peak temperature of 27˚C). Extraction was achieved through rack-and-return and pump-overs. Ferments were tasted daily to determine the level of extraction, and pump-overs were adapted accordingly. On completion of fermentation, the wine spent a further three days on the skins for optimal colour and flavour extraction. The free-run juice was then drained off and the skins pressed gently.

The vineyard from which the fruit was sourced is situated on a south-facing slope on the lower-lying areas of the farm with a mixture of soil types comprising mainly Estcourt, Dresden and Cartref. Two different Merlot clones have been planted on Richter 110 rootstocks. The vines are trellised on a five-wire hedge system. Active suckering and removal of late ripening bunches results in low yield and grapes of an exceptionally high quality.

A portion of the wine was transferred to small French oak barrels where it underwent natural malolactic fermentation before being racked back into the barrels and matured for a period of 14 months. After maturation the wine was blended with wine which was matured in stainless steel tanks and gently filtered before bottling.