This modern take on classic Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon is produced from three impressively disparate granitic sites. The vineyards we work with are from the wards of Nuweland, Bottelary and Helderberg, facing southeast, west, and northeast.
Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
| Winemaker: | Jean Smit |
| Cultivar: | 100% Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Origin: | Stellenbosch |
Tasting notes:
There is a delightfully pure black fruit element produced by Stellenbosch’s most distinguished Cabernet vineyards; our Nuweland Vineyard is no exception, contributing rich elements of cassis, blueberry fruit, and notes of pencil shavings. Woven around those fruit elements are touches of nutmeg, cardamom, and vanilla spice. With time in the glass, those more elusive violet floral notes begin to show themselves beautifully. On the palate, the purity of fruit is delightfully intense, driven by fresh, crisp blackcurrant, juicy cherry, and softer blueberry elements. The combination of regal tannins and savoury sage notes, along with puffs of chalk dust, add intrigue to the finish.
Notes on the 2022 Vintage:
2022 was a wild ride for Stellenbosch farmers. It was, by and large, a cool season; at least until the end of the year, that is. January had other plans, and delivered a sudden temperature spike, which induced some vine stress, and contributed to a smaller-than-usual final yield. When weather pattens like these pop up, they always affirm our decisions to work with cooler, more elevated sites, with regular cooling ocean breezes. These natural factors go a long way to mitigating the effects of heat spikes.
Vineyards:
Our Damascene Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon comes from three separate vineyards, planted as far back as 2001. These mature vineyards are made up of a combination of clones CS337 and CS46; all based on granitic outcrops that lie 6km, 14km, and 20km from the Atlantic Ocean, respectively. The vineyard on the edge of the Vlottenburg (towards the Polkadraai Hills) has an expansive layer of laterite underneath the decomposed granitic topsoil, contributing to a more structured component. Being on a southeastern slope, this site always has a longer ripening period, and possesses the highest concentration of tannins. The site on the Bottelary slopes faces west, and has gravelly soils, with a higher clay content in the subsoil. This adds broadness to the final wine. The Helderberg vineyard faces northeast, and produces extremely low yields, adding fruit intensity, concentration, and striking acidity.
Winemaking:
A series of batches were hand-harvested between 21st and 24th March, 2022, at 24.5 – 25.0˚B. Bunches were de-stemmed and gravity-fed into tulip-shaped concrete fermenters, where whole berries were cold-soaked for 3 days, before primary fermentation commenced. Fermentation temperatures peaked at 28˚C, with pump-overs taking place 2-3 times per day. Spontaneous malolactic conversion took place in French oak barriques (of which 50% were new oak). The wine was racked twice; once at 11 months (when the wine transferred to 2000L conical Austrian oak vats), and again 2 weeks before bottling. The wine spent a total of 20 months in oak to gradually enhance clarity and stability; removing the need for any fining. The wine spent a further 10 months in bottle prior to release.
Maturation:
This wine will be at its most expressive within five years of vintage but, with careful cellaring, will continue to evolve and improve for more than a decade.
Technical:
Total production: 4253 x 750ml and 110 x 1.5L
Bottling date: 2 December 2024
Alc: 14.17 % Vol
pH: 3.64
TA: 5.6 g/L
RS: 1.7 g/L