Cabernet Sauvignon

Red meat (especially game), strong cheeses.

The 2023 growing season in Elgin was cool and extended, with moderate rainfall and no major heat spikes. These ideal conditions allowed for gradual ripening, resulting in wines with refined structure, fresh acidity, and expressive fruit purity.

The wines age gracefully in place for 18 months, with 35% new French oak barrels, and receive only one racking during this period. After tasting through all the individual lots our Winemaking team decides on the final blend, the barrels are emptied into the tank farm and the wines are prepared for bottling.

The grapes were gently de-stemmed, retaining as many whole berries as possible, before passing over an additional vibrating table to remove all MOG(matter other than grapes), after which a displacement pump takes the fruit to its fermentation tank. The tanks are then inoculated with a specific commercial yeast strain, this way insuring the development of the perfect flavour profile. Fermentation is done in stainless steel fermenters, and a combination of aerative pump overs and punch down techniques are used to ensure optimal colour, tannin and flavour extraction. Once fermentation is complete the wine is drained off the skins and moved to a holding tank to be barreled down. Malolactic fermentation takes place in the barrels.

Sutherland Vineyards is situated just 9 kms off the Atlantic Ocean with altitudes of 140 to 250 meters above sea level. The cool maritime climate allows for slower ripening than in other Cape Wineland areas producing wines with vibrant concentrated fruit flavours and an elegant minerality. All Sutherland wines are bottled and produced at the estate in Stellenbosch.