Grand Plaisir

American Wagyu Denver Steak With Chimichurri dressing and and potato Dauphinoise.

Grapes were sourced from the divers soils, slopes and elevations that all add to the quality of the Plaisir de Merle grapes. Well-drained weathered granite soils (predominantly Tukula and Hutton) with good water retention allow minimal interference in irrigation with most vineyards being dry land. The grapes were sourced from the Plaisir de Merle vineyards in Simondium. The vines, ranging in age from 10 to 17 years, are situated between 230m and 350m above sea-level on the south-eastern slopes of the Simonsberg.

The wine was racked and malolactic fermentation was completed in the barrels and matured in new 300-litre French oak barrels for 18 months. Great care went into the selection of individual barrels to create this unique wine. After blending, the wine spent another 6 months in 3rd fill barrels. The wine had one coarse filtration before bottling.

The grapes were harvested from mid-February to mid-March between 25.1 ° and 25.3° Balling and were fermented in small stainless-steel tanks at 24°C for 9 to 11 days. The juice was pumped over the skins daily to extract colour, tannins and flavour. Upon completion of fermentation the wine was left on the skins for a further 3 to 7 days.

Established by the French Huguenots in 1693 on the slopes of the Simonsberg Mountains between Paarl and Franschhoek, Plaisir Wine Estate is a rare gem. This 974-hectare estate in Simonsberg-Paarl has earned international acclaim for its white and red wines. About 230 hectares are planted with a variety of noble grape cultivars such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec. Winemaker Fred Fismer attributes producing award-winning wines to being able to work with great fruit coming from a very unique terrain and the invaluable input from his viticulture team.