Cape Heights
Wonderfully expressive Cabernet from the Cape's blowy Atlantic coast.
South Africa
Food Match
Grilled red meats and roast lamb.
Tasting Notes
This has lovely varietal expression. Brambly, bright and succulent with that classically varietal crushed rock thing on the finish. Generously endowed and vibrant.
Production
Swartland/Wellington area and also the Breede Rivier Valley. The vast variety of soils gives the final wine an interesting complexity. As the vines are over 25+ years old, lower yields of 6-8 tonnes/ha help to deliver flavorsome, concentrated fruit and the berries are picked when fully phonologically ripe. The grapes are destemmend and crushed, with a slow start to fermentation at a low temperature 17C then gradually increasing after three days to 22 - 24C for full fermentation. Pump-over takes place twice daily to wet the cap and aerate the fermenting wine. Wine is fermented down to 5 g/liter residual sugar and pressed before being pumped back into stainless steel tanks. This ensures soft tannins and no-over extraction of any harsh tannins. Malo-lactic fermentation follows and the wine is kept on the lees until bottling.