Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (Previous vintages: 2017, 2016)
The winemaker of our Cabernet Sauvignon is not shy for an opinion, his winemaking philosophy is
“Every winemaker must have a philosophy of some kind, if we don’t,
then we can just as well call ourselves food technicians according
to mine." On searching for the best terroir: "Each component adds to
the final product - pure, honest, awesome wines."
There is a basis for his opinions. He comes from a long line of
farmers and winemakers in the Paarl/Perdeberg region (north of
Stellenbosch). He cut his teeth as an assistant at Uva Mira, when
the estate won Young Winemaker of the Year. He then moved on to be
the lead winemaker at Slaley before achieving the Cape Wine Master
Certification and branching out on his own with a passion for
finding the perfect combination of grapes and terroir. The
seriousness leaves his face and he brightens up when he speaks of
his favorite place – his home overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in
Pringle Bay, surrounded by a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Vineyard and Wine
Overview: Cabernet Sauvignon
vineyards are traditionally planted near the valley floor as it was
too cold for grapes to ripen properly at higher elevations. Climate
change has made the valley floor warmer than in the past. To
recapture the cooler climate that makes for complex balanced wines,
we decided to make a new Cabernet Sauvignon from high altitude
vineyards.
The grapes used to make this wine are sourced from a unique vineyard
situated in Elgin, at an altitude 750ft to 1050ft above sea level,
and managed for ultra-premium quality. The vineyard grows on a steep
southern slope and is exposed to cool afternoon sea breezes, which
results in slow ripening, yielding soft tannins and balanced,
elegant fruit resuling in a modern, fresh Cabernet Sauvignon.
In Detail...
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Origin: Elgin
Vineyard Clone: CS15C / CS15 M
Soil: Hutton and Clovelly
Elevation: 750ft to 1050ft
Yield: 4.5 to 5.3 tons/acre
Trellising: Smart-Dyson trellising
Irrigation: Drip irrigation, only used once as there is more
moisture and rain at the high altitude of Elgin.
Harvest: Hand harvested (no space to get machines in).
Cooling: Kept on skins with cooling for 3 days.
Vinification: Natural yeast only, no commercial yeast or acid added.
Open cask fermentation, manual punchdowns and pump-over, pressed
after alcoholic fermentation, transferred to oak after malolactic
fermentation.
Oak aging: 26 Months in 50% new French oak, 50% in older oak with new
inserts, all 500 liter barrels. French oak barrels from Alliers and
Nevers, mixed treatment (medium toast plus).
Technical details: ALC - 14 % VOL; pH - 3.4; RS - 3.4 g/l; TA - 6
g/l
Lynne Safriel's thoughts: "This is my 'any occasion' wine. Even people who don't usually drink red wines will enjoy this"
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