The Jem

This wine pairs beautifully with red meat dishes such as grilled lamb or beef, roasted vegetables, and mature cheeses. Its complex flavors and structure make it a great match for hearty and flavorful foods​.

The grapes for The Jem are grown on the Helderberg Mountain, a prime terroir for cultivating Bordeaux, Rhône, and Italian varietals. The estate is focused on sustainable viticulture, with soils consisting of decomposed sandstone and granite. The Jem blend showcases the best varietals, with 48% Cabernet Sauvignon providing the backbone​.

The wine is aged for 21 months in French oak barrels, with 35% new oak. The extended maturation helps to integrate the diverse components and ensures a harmonious final product​.

Each varietal in the blend is vinified separately and matured for 20 months. The final blend is carefully assembled and further matured in French oak barrels, with 35% of the wine aged in new oak to enhance its complexity. The process of blending begins six months into the maturation to capture the essence of the vintage​.

Waterford Estate is situated in the Blaauwklippen Valley on the rolling slopes of the Helderberg Mountain in the well-known Stellenbosch region. Waterford Estate prides themselves in making Fine Wine from carefully selected grapes. Winemaker, Mark Le Roux and viticulturist, David van Schalkwyk both believe a Fine Wine displays the character of its cultivar and a true sense of place. A Fine Wine should reflect the length on the palate, has a complexity of flavours, internal harmony between aromatics and the palate, and balance between its essential components.