Cabernet Sauvignon

Fresh Grilled Tuna, Rack of Lamb, Mushrooms, Emmental Cheese

Grapes were sourced from low-yielding (6 – 8 t/ha) old vines (10 – 20 years old) located on DB Rust’s Swartland farm, Constantia. The soils are deep red Oakleaf and Hutton ensuring excellent water-retention and adding structure and fullness to the wines. The vines have been planted in such a way to benefit optimally from the cool Benguela current sea breezes. These breezes cause summer temperatures to range between 20 – 30°C.

The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in 300L medium toasted Vicard and Taransaud barrels, 10% of which was new French oak, 80% second fill French oak and the remaining 10% was Hungarian oak – to add spiciness. Barrel maturation lasted for 15 months whereby the wine was racked only once.

Harvesting occurred at optimal ripeness when the grapes were between 25 – 26° Balling. Picking was done in the early morning hours to ensure the grapes arrived cool at the cellar. Dry ice and sulphur were used to protect the grapes from oxidation during transportation. Cold soaking was done for 24 hours before inoculation. Grapes remained on the skins for 24 hours to allow for colour extraction. Fermentation lasted between 4 and 6 days at 22 – 25°C.

From the heart of South Africa’s sought-after Swartland – one of the most dynamic wine regions in the Southern Hemisphere – comes a wine range reflecting its distinctive roots. SURVIVOR. Vibrant wines with an exciting story to tell. Mainly high potential Hutton and Oakleaf soils with high water retention which are suited for the production of premium quality cultivars. These soils provide a longer window period for optimum ripeness without losing any flavours. Supplementary irrigation is advantageous during dry seasons or heat waves as it can be utilised to maintain quality. The vines are situated in such a way that the cooling effect of the Benguela sea breezes is optimised. Due to this the farm is situated most likely in one of the coolest Swartland areas. Our Elgin wines are represented by pure fruit flavours supported by an underlying minerality. This wine from Elgin are by definition an expression of their terroir