The cooler 2001 vintage has produced very well balanced, elegant wines. The Luddite 2001 has shown this with fantastic finesse and Rhone feel. The long ripening phase resulting from the cool vintage meant balanced grapes of full ripeness. Long cool fermentation in open tank fermenters allowed more time on the skins with regular punch downs resulting in good colour and tannin uptake. Malolactic fermentation started on the skins and finished in tank after pressing.
The wine spent 14 months in 70% French Oak and 30% American oak. 30% of the barrels were new and the rest 2nd, 3rd and 4th fill.
When it came to final blending, 6 300 litres was culled and sold in bulk as it was felt that the quality was not up to scratch for Luddite Shiraz. Prior to bottling the wine had a light filtration.
Tasting Notes
Appearance
Dark crimson.
Nose
Good fruit is backed by a melange of spices and herbs woth cloves coming to the fore.
Palate
Long smooth entry of red berries and spice, mid palate has savoury hints with herbs, spice an fine tannins producing a long balanced finish.
Grapes were sourced from four vineyard sites
Bottelary, Stellenbosch Steneveld harvested on 24th February 2001.
Bottelary, Stellenbosch Kaapzicht harvested on 1st March 2001.
Helderberg, Stellenbosch harvested on 9th March 2001.
Bottelary, Stellenbosch Bellevue harvested on 27th March 2001.
Average analysis of fruit at harvest
24.9° Balling, TA – 4.4 g/l, pH – 3.71
Analysis of the wine
Alcohol: 14%
pH: 3.66
TA: 5.8 g/l
RS: 2.2 g/l
6 000 bottles of this vintage were produced.
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