IN THE VINEYARD:

The wine was produced exclusively using Chenin Blanc grapes from the Fairview farm. This bushvine vineyard is 33 years old and is grown on decomposed granite soils, and irrigated only when necessary.

HARVEST DATES:

Fruit was harvested by hand over a 3 day period, from 18 to 20 February 2010. The reason for this is that the bunches are individually picked when they are perfectly ripe, and therefore the vineyard is passed through a number of times until all the grapes have been brought in. It is also a very labour intensive harvesting process, as each bunch has any damaged or imperfect berries removed carefully, while in the vineyard.

WINEMAKING:

The harvesting was done extremely carefully so as not to damage any fruit. The grapes were harvested at approximately 22°B. Picked into small lug boxes, the grapes were transported to a well ventilated shed where they were carefully laid out on racks lined with straw to dry. It took about four weeks for the grapes to dry to a ‘raisined’ state, losing up to 75% of their moisture. They were then pressed and allowed to ferment in stainless steel tanks. Fermentation lasted six months, before the wine was filtered and bottled.

WINEMAKER’S COMMENTS:

Given that the vineyard is so old, the grapes ripen later than the rest of the white grapes on the farm. We were fortunate to harvest the grapes just before the heat wave arrived, and the fruit was in perfect condition when harvested. The moderate, dry run-up to the harvest ensured that there was no chance of rot damage. Anthony de Jager

TASTING NOTE:

Intense tropical fruit on the nose at first. Delicate spice notes and moskonfyt (raisin jam) show with time in the glass. Sultana and litchi linger on the palate with warming cinnamon and red apple. The mouthfeel is velvety and rich, yet well-balanced with refreshing fruit acidity. Silky sweetness is elegantly tempered by a clean finish.

IN THE VINEYARD:

Shiraz grapes were harvested ripe at 24 degrees balling and gently placed into small lug boxes. All of the fruit was from a trellised vineyard on the Fairview farm in Paarl, which is planted on decomposed granite soils.

HARVEST DATES:

Late February 2007

WINEMAKING:

The grapes were harvested and carefully transported to a shed on the farm, where they were laid out on racks covered with beds of straw. The bunches were left to dry for three weeks on the straw. As they dried, the flavours and sugar were concentrated and the balling of the grapes went up to 36 degrees. The grapes were then destalked and transferred to older barrels for fermentation to start on the skins. Skin contact was allowed for three days. During this time, the cap was worked through three times a day to promote extraction of colour and flavour. The pulp is always too thick and sticky to punch down and is mixed by hand. After three days the juice was pressed off and sent back to barrels to complete fermentation, which lasted approximately four months. The wine is then racked off and matured in old barrels for a further nine months prior to being bottled.

WINEMAKER’S COMMENTS:

I have been making this wine in small quantities over the last few years and I think that this is the best vintage so far. The fermentation on the skins adds tannin which helps to balance the sweetness. This wine shows deep concentrated flavours and highlights another, interesting side to Shiraz. Anthony de Jager

TASTING NOTE:

Dark, almost black colour. The wine is concentrated and rich, with aromas of cloves, aniseed and blackcurrant, which follow through on the palate. Although opulently sweet, there is good balance and the wine has a pleasing finish.

HARVEST DATE:

29 February 2008

WINEMAKING:

Sourced from a vineyard in the Agter-Paarl, Shiraz was harvested ripe at 27.7 degrees balling. The bunches were destalked and crushed and the juice was fermented until the balling was around 18 degrees. At this time the alcohol content was approximately 4.5%. Fermentation lasted six days, during which time we try to get the maximum extraction and colour from the skins. The wine was pressed off, and was fortified with five year old brandy spirits. The wine was transferred to used French and American oak barrels and matured for approximately 12 months, before blending and bottling.

TASTING NOTE:

Plum and black cherry aromas with liquorice and spice. Lively sweetness on the palate, with a long finish showing sweet brambly fruit.

Grapes are from a Viognier block on a farm in the Agter-Paarl. This is a trellised, irrigated vineyard, on well drained, decomposed granite soils.

HARVEST DATE: 17 of February 2010

WINEMAKING:

Grapes were hand harvested at 26.4 degrees balling, when the skins were a deep golden colour. The yield on the vineyard was 6.5 tons per hectare. The grapes were whole bunch pressed into stainless steel settling tanks and the juice was racked after two days for fermentation in stainless steel tanks.
Fermentation is prematurely stopped by filtering the wine twice to remove all yeast. This leaves us with a higher residual sugar.

WINEMAKER’S COMMENTS:

This is a wine that continues to show an interesting side to Viognier which has a lot of potential. I think that it will be at its best after a year or two in the bottle. Anthony de Jager

TASTING NOTE:

Intense aromas of apricot, peach and orange blossom.
An alluring medium-bodied mouthfeel filled with ripe fruit and notes of ginger. Balanced acidity and sweet floral hints on the finish.