Platinum Cabernet Sauvignon

Berries were crushed and cold-soaked for 24 hours at 12°C, then inoculated with selected yeast that complement the varietal expression. Fermentation took place in small 4 ton open Stainless steel tanks with aeration hand punch downs every 4 hrs to extract all colour and flavour to concentrate the fruit and express the terroir. Temperatures varied between 24-30°C during fermentation after which extended skin maceration followed up till four weeks.

These low-yielding vines are drip-irrigated to ensure optimal ripening and trained on the 5-wire-Perold-trellis system. It’s planted on soils consisting of weathered granite with a clay base. Two different Cabernet clones were planted in separate blocks with opposite row orientation towards the sun. The nearby Atlantic Ocean (False Bay) also has a cooling effect on the vineyards during the ripening season and helps the grapes to fully mature before harvest. The Western Cape in particularly Stellenbosch had a real good winter with sufficient rain and cold for the vines to rest and build up reserves before the start of bud towards September. Cool and mild, windy weather conditions prevailed until December, which pushed the start of harvest out by 14days to the norm. These cooler conditions led to concentrated flavours with natural acidity, good colour and ripe tannins. Harvest finished first week April and crop yields were down by roughly 15% to a normal year, but wine quality looks very promising.

The wine was matured for 20 months in a combination of 300L French oak barrels, 100% new.