The 2009 vintage was one of the most exciting in the sense that we used our own cellar for the first time and all the grapes were sourced from the Bot River Valley. Weather wise it was up and down promising to be a very cool vintage but ultimately ending quite hot. We picked over a full month which had never happened before. This produced a wine that was bold but had the resultant spice of a cooler vintage. It was also the first time we had a proper crop from our young block. We fermented all these different clones in small batch open fermenters. The old block was fermented in stainless steel tanks with regular pump-overs. Fermentation temperatures were higher than normal due to a non-existent cooling plant (28°C). No skin contact was given after ferment and the wines were pressed into tank to undergo malolactic fermentation.
After malolactic fermentation batches of wine showing promise were blended together and pumped into barrel. 30% new oak was used of which 95% of the barrels were French Oak and 5% Hungarian Oak. The rest being 2nd, 3rd and 4th fill.
The wine remained in barrels for 24 months after which we blended all the different batches together to create the best possible wine which was then bottled.
Tasting Notes
Appearance
Dark red and garnet hues.
Nose
Spice driven red fruit with hints of liquorice, cinnamon and toasty wood.
Palate
Brooding dark fruit and spice. Rich, natural, sweet fruit core. Lingering finish of savoury spice and balanced tannin.
Grapes were sourced from three vineyard sites
Bot River, Luddite old block clone 9C harvested on 24th February 2009.
Bot River, Ou Meul harvested on 25th February 2009.
Bot River, Luddite young block mixed clones harvested on 1st March 2009.
Bot River, Luddite young block clone 5A harvested on the 12th March 2009.
Bot River, Gabrielskloof harvested on the 12th March 2009.
Bot River, Luddite old block clone 1A harvested on 25th March 2009.
Average analysis of fruit at harvest
25.8° Balling, TA – 6.4 g/l, pH – 3.55
Analysis of the wine
Alcohol: 15%
pH: 3.53
TA: 5.96 g/l
RS: 3.39 g/l
13 500 bottles of this vintage were produced.
Download PDF