The Navigator

The grapes were harvested over a 5 day period (first Shiraz followed by Grenache then Viognier and finally Mourvedre) prior to co-fermentation. Fermentation temperatures were controlled between 22 and 26C with a total of 21 days skin contact during fermentation. Pump-overs were effected twice daily.

The winter of 2015 was recorded as one of the wettest for the Strandveld region in decades: this is quite the opposite to the rest of the Western Cape which had a very hot, dry spell. Despite the wet, cool conditions in November we had a slightly bigger harvest than in 2015. Frequent black south-easter days in February caused some grey rot, but it was isolated and a small price to pay for cooler harvesting days. These conditions were also in stark contrast to the extreme heat and drought experienced throughout the province. The cooler harvest gave us ripe fruit at lower sugar and we find a beautiful balance between fruit flavor and acid in the 2016 wines.

This special blend was matured for 18 months in 100% French oak, in a combination of 300 and 500 litre barrels.30% new, the balance made up of second and third fill barrels.