Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.4%
Residual Sugar 1.5 g/L
pH 3.5
Total Acidity 5.7 g/L
Calories (estimated) 120 kcal / glass
150ml glass120 kcal
750ml bottle600 kcal
Grape Varieties Syrah
Syrah100%
Drinking Window Now – 15 years
Region Walker Bay
Soil Stone fragments, Decomposed granite, Iron-rich clay
Elevation 220.0 meters
Slope 10.0°
Orientation North-West
Vineyard Yield 29 hL/ha
Grapes Picked March 15
Vine Age 17 years
Natural Yeast Yes
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Maceration 5 days
Oak Details 26% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak26%
Barrel Size 500L barrels, 900L foudre
Bottling Date May 10, 2024
Production Details The grapes are hand-picked and packed into large-surface area crates to limit pressure on the bunches. The day’s harvest is cooled down overnight to 8°C in the winery’s refrigerated cold room. The bunches are sorted on a conveyor, destemmed, and fall directly to the fermenter. No sulphur is used in the winemaking until after malolactic fermentation, allowing diverse microorganisms from the grape itself to flourish unrestrained in the spontaneous fermentation. This cuvée also contains 50% of whole bunches. Cold maceration ensues for 5 to 7 days at 8 to 10°C. All parcels are fermented with indigenous yeasts, and only pigeage (punching down) applied for extraction. The wine spends approximately 25 days on the skins before pressing. After pressing the wine is racked and left to complete its malolactic ‘fermentation’ and maturation in barrel on its lees. Matured for 12 months in older 500L barrels produced in Burgundy. Tighter grained oak is preferred for subtle flavour, with longer seasoning and slower, lower temperature toasting. New oak is 26%. The wine is racked and blended to 900L foudre for another 6 months of élevage. No fining and filtration before bottling.
Tasting Notes
grape stems, herbaceous fynbos, deep plum fruit, Christmas cake, clove, white pepper
▸ Sources (1)
Producer Information
Website
Address
R320 Hemel-en-Aarde Road, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Hermanus, 7201, South Africa
Phone
+27 28 312 3862
Email
Owner
Newton Johnson Family
Cellarmaster
Gordon and Nadia Newton Johnson