Stellenrust Douwe Steyn Cabernet Sauvignon

In the vineyards: Grapes for this wine are harvested from the bush vine which was planted in 1942. The soil type is a combination of red clay and decomposed granite and the vineyards follow an east-to-west planting pattern. Bush vine is a very traditional way of growing grapes in South Africa where the grapes mature and ripen in the shade of the bush. Very few Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards are still grown as bush-vine as it reduces yield and slows the grapes' ripening.

In the cellar: Grapes are picked between 25 to 26 Balling. It is destemmed, crushed, and allowed skin contact through cold maceration for 2 days. Thereafter wild yeast fermentation takes place in open concrete tanks. The cap is manually punched down every 2-3 hours over a period of slow fermentation. After fermentation has finished an additional 2 days post-fermentation skin maceration is allowed. Normal skin contact time is just over two weeks. The wine is then preserved and matured for 24-36 months in small new French oak barrels.

Production: 1064 bottles

Tasting notes: This wine offers blackcurrant, berry, and, black cherry flavors with an undertone of mint and mocha, well rounded with elegant tannins. Bottle maturation will be rewarding.

Food pairing:

Definitely to be enjoyed with tick cutlets of fillet medallions served on a bed of creamy mash with a spicy pepper reduction or also a great accompaniment to a rack of lamb.