Bonfire Hill Red
Total SO2: 135
Free SO2: 42
v/a: 0.52
Wine of Origin
Breedekloof
Goudini
Overberg Highlands
Total SO2: 135
Free SO2: 42
v/a: 0.52
Breedekloof
Goudini
Overberg Highlands
WINEMAKING
Selected vineyards are harvested early in the morning when still cool. Grapes are destemmed and fermented on the skins in a combination of open and closed tanks. Selected vineyards are punched down by hand and wild fermentation is encouraged. Open and closed pump overs are given to carefully extract colour and build a soft, juicy mouthfeel. The fermented wine is aged in a combination of stainless steel tanks and barrels. When ready the wine is painstakingly blended to create both complexity and yumminess.
CELLAR
Can be enjoyed now or cellar at a cool temperature for 5 years.
FOOD PAIRING
Nothing shouts ‘Bring me shiraz’ like a 28 day dry-aged rump steak, cooked to perfection on the barbeque and served with a green pepper sauce or try pulled pork Mexican tortillas. A surprisingly good match is also Peking duck.
VINEYARDS
A selection of our best, estate grown, red grapes were used for this wine. Soils are a combination of decomposed granite and shale. Average annual rainfall is approximately 650mm.In order to optimize the influence of terroir the vineyards were managed according to organic principles (certified organic according to EU and US legislation).
VINIFICATION
All the grapes were hand-picked. The Cabernet was de-stemmed and the Syrah, Mourvedre and Touriga Nacional were partially de-stemmed. Fermentation took place in open-topped tanks. Maturation occurred in French oak barrels (30% new) for 18 months. The individual components were fermented separately and then blended after 6 months.
FOOD PAIRING
Enjoy with Rump Steak and Pepper Sauce
VINEYARDS
Only our own, organically grown, grapes were used for this wine. The best Syrah vineyards are planted in the rockiest sites. The average age of the vineyards is 16 years. This wine is certified as ‘organic’ by Control Union.
VINIFICATION
Grapes were hand-picked and partially de-stemmed (about 30% of were fermented with their stems). Fermentation occurred in open fermenters and the wine then spent 18 months in a combination of 225L, 300L and 500L oak barrels.
FOOD PAIRING
Enjoy with Massaman Curry
VINEYARDS
Made from a combination of estate vineyards and specially selected vineyards on neighbouring farms. All the vineyards lie on the south western edge of the Paarl region. The climate is Mediterranean – i.e. cold, wet winters and dry summers. Soils are a combination of decomposed granite and Malmesbury shale. Vine age varies from 15 to 19 years.
VINIFICATION
The grapes were hand-picked, de-stemmed, lightly crushed and then fermented in small open-topped tanks. The varietals were harvested and fermented separately. After 10 months maturation in a combination of seasoned oak barrels and stainless steel tanks, the various batches were blended and the wine was bottled.
FOOD PAIRING
Enjoy with Pizza
VINEYARD
Planted on the rockiest sandstone slopes of Waterford Estate in 2005.
VINTAGE
Winter was cut a little short with an early rise in temperatures, the growing season remained warm and dry bringing the harvest dates slightly forward. Moderate to cool conditions during ripening resulted in wines with expressive aromatics and flavours. Exceptional white and red wines from this vintage, very classic in style with tight dry tannin structures which make for excellent aging potential.
WINE FACTS
No new wood is used in the making of this wine. Whole berry ferments and soft extraction methods by means of only pump overs which brings out the purity in this wine.
FOOD PAIRING
Pairs well with lean red meats such as venision as well as a variety of earthy components.
Vines are drip-irrigated to ensure optimal ripening and trained on the 5-wire Perold trellis system. Planted in soils consisting of weathered granite on clay, the vines are situated on south facing slopes. The nearby Atlantic Ocean (False Bay) has an additional cooling effect on the vineyards during the ripening season.
Berries were crushed and cold-soaked for about 48hrs, and then inoculated with selected yeast to bring out the best of the varietal. The Pinotage harvest started late Feb and the Shiraz mid-March. Fermented in stainless steel tanks with pump-overs (aeration) every 4 hours to extract flavour and colour from must. Fermentation
takes about 5 days at temperatures between 24-28°C. The wine was matured in older barrels for 18 months in a combination of 300liter French and American Oak.
Serve this wine at 15-18°. Delicious with marinated beef fillet skewers with onion, bell pepper, tomato and mushroom served on saffron rice.
VINIFICATION
Managed by individual vineyard blocks, grapes are hand picked according to cultivar’s phenolic ripeness.
Natural fermentation (native yeasts) with frequent punch down in accordance with SIP guidelines
Malolactic fermentation in wood, 8 months maturation of individual varietals in 225lts barriques and 600 lts barrels another 4 months after blending.
Ageing potential:
The wine is drinking well now and will continue to improve in the bottle for 5 years or more.
Acidity will soften with time and gentle tannins will continue.
Vineyard: 27 Hectares
Viticulture: Dry land and Organic (certified 2012)
Production: 10 tons used for Nativo (6000 bottles)
Yields: 4 tons per Hectare
Soils: Glenrosa and Oakleaf
Trellis: Perold 5 wires
FOOD PAIRING
Red Thai curry with coconut milk, ginger, fresh chilli and coriander. Slow cooked Karoo-lamb shank. Ostrich & game dishes.
This wine can be enjoyed within four to five years from vintage.
The grapes for this wine have been harvested from Leeuwenkuil and Langvlei farms in Agter Paarl and Swartland.
Shiraz was harvested in the third and fourth week of Feb 2018. Most of the grapes were destalked and fermented in tanks with French oak staves, with malolactic and maturation being completed on staves. Approximately 20% of the wine was fermented in small open fermenters and hand-punched before being pressed off into small French and American oak barrels of varying ages.
The den Shiraz is especially good with hearty French bistro cooking like grilled lamb chops with black olives, orange and fennel, pan fried duck breast with a fig and red wine butter sauce, Toulouse sausages with lentils or linguini with chorizo, tomato and roasted peppers.
A rich and spicy wine which is great paired with French country dishes such as cassoulet or a beef daube Provençal. It is also delicious with grilled regional sausages e.g. Toulouse. Amazing with simply prepared dry-aged rump or ribeye steak, seasoned with a little sea salt and crushed black pepper and a few pan-fried mushrooms, ideally cep or porcini, and a dash of the best extra virgin olive oil.
This Syrah is drinking well now and will improve in the bottle till 2020 and beyond.
Our partner Billy Hughes grows organic grapes at Kasteelsig vineyard in the Swartland region. The grapes are dry farmed. Soil in the vineyard is primarily Glenrosa, a composite soil of decomposed shale with a little granite. Vines are 12 years old and the yield in 2013 was around 7 tons to the hectare.
The grapes were handpicked over a few days in late February 2013 into small baskets and taken to our cellar where they were destalked and gently crushed. We fermented the Syrah in small open bins where it was hand punched four times a day. We prefer the native yeast from the vineyard. The wine matured in French and Hungarian oak for a total of 20 months. We filled 10051 bottles.
IN THE VINEYARDS
Two mature, trellised, mountainside vineyards, planted with a variety of clones produce this Syrah. Overlooking False Bay, the vines enjoy the cooling influence of the famous Cape Doctor (the prevailing South Easterly wind) during summertime. The rocky, gravelly nature of the soil promotes the production of balanced, finely textured wines which show restrained fruit and interesting spice and fynbos notes.
IN THE CELLAR
Grapes were hand harvested, crushed and destemmed into large stainless steel fermenters where cold soaking was employed for several days on the skins to promote fruitiness, colour and flavour. Cool, spontaneous fermentation and a quick removal from skins after its completion was chosen as opposed to warm fermentation and extended post fermentation skin contact which would have led to over extraction. Pump-overs were limited to one or two a day depending on the phase of fermentation and this has resulted in the extraction of soft tannins and a lithe texture. Half of the wine was matured in older French oak barrels (3rd, 4th and 5th fill) for 6 months and assembled with the tank matured half before bottling.
FOOD PAIRING
Casserole, fillet steak, tomato based pasta dishes.
VINIFICATION
2 hours skin contact, cold fermentation and minimum filtration.
FOOD PAIRING
A cold Rose is always good with a braai
VINIFICATION
Harvested late at optimum ripeness with cold maceration over 8 days, low temperature fermentation, and extended pump-overs with malolactic fermentation in barrel. A further 14 months in old and new French oak.
Produced: 1000 x 6 bottle cases
FOOD PAIRING
Grilled or roast beef with pepper sauce
Varietal: Shiraz
Root stock: 101-14
Soil type: Tukulu / Glenrosa
Age of vines: Planted 2004, 2005
Plant density: 2353 vines/ha
Trellising: 7 wire Perold with moveable foliage wires
Pruning: Spur
Yield: 12 t/ha
Irrigation: Supplementary drip
Vintage: Very hot and dry vintage, resulting in an early start to the picking, with different varieties ripening the same time. It was a tough vintage for the winery crew.
Picking date 21 – 31 March 2014
Yeasts: Natural occurring yeasts
Fermentation temp: 28 °C
Method: De-stalked, hand sorting of berries, crushed, pumped into stainless steel tanks, pumped over for 5 days, left for 2 days before pressing, racked to barrel for malolactic fermentation.
Wood Maturation: 18 months in barrel. 20% new French oak, balance 3rd and 4th fill barrels
The spicy character of this wine lends itself to stews and grilled beef
Facing: South
Soil types: Bokkeveld Slate, Koffieklip and Gravel
Age and origin of vines: 15 years, Elim ward
Vineyard area 3 ha
Yield per hectare: 7 t/ha
Trellised: Extended 6 wire Perold
Irrigation: Supplementary
Clone: SHZ 1
Degree balling at harvest: Early morning hand harvested at 25 – 26oB.
Shiraz cold soak for 2 days, inoculate with selected yeast strain for fermentation
Fermentation: 5 days 24 oC with punch downs and pump overs every 6 hours with peak fermentation
Barrel maturation: 20% new french oak 225l, 20% 2nd fill, 30% 3rd fill, 30% 4th fill 15 months in oak
Optimum drinking time: 3 – 5 years after release
Varietal: Shiraz, clone SH99/SH9C/SH1A
Root stock: 101 – 14, R110
Soil type: Hutton – decomposed granite
Age of vines: Planted 2000 & 2001
Plant density: 2300 – 3200 vines per hectare
Trellising: VSP & Guyot
Pruning: 2-bud spurs every 12cm & Cane pruning
Yield: Approximately 12 t/ha
Irrigation: Supplementary drip
Vintage: Cool start to season delaying harvest by a week or so leading to an exceptional vintage with red wines of great purity, elegance and concentration.
Yeasts: Natural occurring yeasts
Fermentation temp: 27 °C
Method: De-stalked, crushed, pumped into stainless steel tanks, pumped over for 6 days, left for 2 days before pressing, racked to barrel for malolactic fermentation.
Wood Maturation 18 months in barrel, 35% new French and the balance in older barrels
Grilled meats, meat casseroles and mature strong cheeses.
Harvested from three vineyards in Elim, each from a different clone, on soils varying from shale, gravel and Ferricrete also known as Koffieklip. The 2017 Syrah is a beautiful example of cool-climate Syrah and a great counterpoint to the more commonly found warm-climate Syrah in South Africa. Minimal intervention was used during the winemaking process. After de-stemming, wine fermented naturally in open-top containers and benefitted from daily punch-downs. The wine then spent 11 months in old 225L French oak and was bottled in February 2018.
The wine was made in a natural way, with only sulphur additions.
“Diversity is the cornerstone of my philosophy. I am always searching for unique perspectives and for varieties that are absolutely true to their area.” – Trizanne Barnard, Winemaker
Hand picked from 17-year-old dry-land vines on Swartland schist soils. 100% de-stemmed & fermented in open-top fermenters. Elevage took place in 500L French oak puncheons.
“Diversity is the cornerstone of my philosophy. I am always searching for unique perspectives and for varieties that are absolutely true to their area.” – Trizanne Barnard, Winemaker
The grapes were hand-picked in the early morning and force- cooled to 4 °C. They were bunch sorted, de-stemmed and berry sorted on vibration tables by 25 highly trained staff members. The berries were gently crushed into a satellite tank and deposited in an open fermenter. Five percent was left whole bunch. The must was de-juiced by 8%. It was given a cold soak of 4 days at 9 °C protected by a CO 2 blanket. The juice was pumped over once daily during this period. The tank was then heated to 18 °C and allowed to start fermentation naturally. The fermentation temperature was allowed to peak at 28 °C and then brought down to 24 °C. The fermenting cap was manually punched down five times daily. After fermentation the wine was left on the skins for another two weeks
before being pressed into 60% new Allier French oak barrels. The press fraction was kept separate. Malolactic
fermentation was completed in the barrels. After malolactic fermentation the wine was given a low sulphur
dose and left on its lees for 10 months. The wine was then racked, blended and returned to barrel. After a total of 22 months in barrel the wine was racked and filtered through a coarse sheet filter. Bottling was done with a fine sheet filtration.
Total Production: 3591 Bottles