Stellenrust Cabernet Sauvignon
Premium Cabernet Sauvignon - In our opinion, Cabernet Sauvignon, still strongly holds the crown as ‘king of the grapes’ and has a very special place in Stellenbosch.
In the vineyards:
Grapes for this wine are harvested from a combination of trellised vines from our Helderberg farm, fruit from northwestern slopes from our Bottelary property and eastern sloped vineyards off our Devon Valley property. Bottelary Cabernet is quite distinct in the fact that it is easily recognizable by its boegoe spice and sometimes minty character. Some say these flavors are derived from the specific Bottelary terroir, whereas others believe that these flavors are brought on by the thousands of Eucalyptus trees found in this area.
In the cellar:
Grapes are picked between 24 to 25 Balling, crushed, and allowed cold maceration for 24 – 48 hours. It is inoculated with French yeast strains and fermented with regular punch downs for 10 days on the skins. The wine is then drained from the skins and further fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks. Malolactic fermentation is partially finished in barrels (only about 15%). The wine is then allowed to mature in French oak over a period of 12 months.
Tasting notes: This wine offers blackcurrant, berry, and black cherry flavors with an undertone of mint and mocha, well-rounded with elegant tannins and a refreshing acidity leaving a good tannic grip.
Food pairing:
Definitely to be enjoyed with thick 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.