In my experience, a great wine comes from a vineyard with a great view. Grown on the last farm before the peak of the majestic Helderberg, this Cabernet Sauvignon is powerful yet elegant. Think terrific fruit, a full body and ripe, well-integrated tannins - it’s the whole package. The best part is that it is just beginning to open and show secondary nuances. Cellar it, and you will be rewarded - if you have the patience, that is.
- Johan Jordaan, Cellar Master, Spier
EAT & DRINK
A must with meat. Serve with chargrilled sirloin or rib-eye steak and parmesan truffle fries or as a welcome accompaniment to a hearty roast vegetable cassoulet.
COLOUR, NOSE & PALATE
Deep ruby red in the glass with a vibrant, youthful rim, this rich yet perfumed wine offers an abundance of
cassis and violets notes, moving to cedar and pencil lead aromas. The wine is full-bodied, with a concentrated structure and opulent finish.
WINEMAKER: Johan Jordaan
ORIGIN: Stellenbosch
ANALYSIS:
Alc | 13.69 % vol | TA | 5.4 g/L |
RS | 3.1 g/L | pH | 3.62 |
VINEYARD & TERROIR
The Cabernet Sauvignon vines are grown along the west north-westerly-facing slope of the majestic Helderberg - the southern side of Stellenbosch. Besides an expansive view of the False Bay coast, the vineyard is treated to a cooling Atlantic ocean breeze, encouraging slow ripening. While conditions can be windy at altitude, the decomposed granitic soil features clay in the subsoil, which aids in moisture retention and promotes even ripening. This results in small berries concentrated in flavour and tannin.
WINEMAKING
The key to an excellent red wine is attention to detail. Once the grapes were handpicked and destemmed in the cellar, they were individually sorted to ensure only the best coloured and sized fruit were selected. Fermentation occurred in stainless-steel fermenters for 24 days with an extended skin maceration of 15 days. The free-run wine was then barrelled down into 70% new French oak barrels for 26 months. Barrel selection was done to make the perfect blend of the original single vineyard site.
- South Africa
- Spier Wine Farm