This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is grown deep in the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir heartland of the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Vallley. Cool-climate Cabernet allows for a longer ripening period and thus incredibly integrated tannin. Craig’s festidious approach results in a wine of structure and length, without relying on big, ripe flavours or lashings of new oak. Pure class. This wine bears the names of the two vineyards from which it is made. Slopes are north-west-facing, the shallow soils range from light, well-drained gravel to mineral rich koffieklip. Below this is decomposed granite clay and quartz. Vinification – Select parcels were hand-picked over a period of four weeks in late summer. After a light de-stemming the grapes were naturally fermented in small, open-top oak vats. A couple of short punchdowns per day kept the ferment healthy while the various strains of indigenous yeasts did their work. After a long maceration the skins were pressed in a wooden basket press. The wine was aged on lees in French oak barriques (25% new) for around 20 months. Bottle-aged for a further two years before release.
ANALYSIS: Alc: 14.0% | pH: 3.56 | TA: 6.0g/l | RS: 1.7g/l