Oceanside Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot (Coastal)

2021 | Coastal Region 

This harmoniously characterful blend of classic varieties aims to reflect the individuality of the sites in which it is grown through its fresh and fragrant aromas of red fruit as well as shrubby fynbos notes. On the palate the wine expresses the vintage through a supple and finely hewn texture as well as beautiful fruit concentration before a long, vinously savoury finish.

In the Vineyard

The vines for this wine can be found in Paarl and Wellington. We use natural pesticides to retain the area’s Biodiversity and have large areas left out to encourage natural birdlife and indigenous plant species to thrive. Overall, the Cape received good rains during the winter of 2020 which meant a slightly larger crop than the previous year. Harvest was later than the previous year and the longer hang time ensured greater phenolic ripeness in the later ripening varietals.

In the Cellar

Picked at sunrise, the Cabernet Sauvignon was mostly whole berry fermented, whereas the Merlot grapes were crushed and destemmed into separate fermenters. The grapes were cold soaked and a slight carbonic maceration employed for a lift in the fruit expression of the eventual wine. Cool fermentation temperatures and soft, daily pump-overs were used throughout to ensure an unhurried extraction of tannin from the skins. The wine was drawn off the skins straight thereafter in order to avoid over extraction. Gentle pressing yielded only the best, softly textured wine and this was transferred to tank for malolactic fermentation. 40% of the wine was matured in French oak barrels for a period of 10 months before blending and bottling. The use of SO2 was limited to an absolute minimum throughout to allow the wine to follow its own course and express its origin most clearly.

Technical Bits

Alcohol             13.5% vol.

Total acidity     5.6g/l

pH                   3.62

Residual sugar 3.4g/l