2021 Alto Rouge

Color: Deep garnet with a crimson rim. Bouquet: Fynbos and sour cherry dominate the nose with a touch graphite Taste: Dark fruit notes such as prune and blueberry with hints of pine needle. The palate is silky with firm tannins and a lengthy finish. Excellent drinkability and aging potential that will mature to further degrees of finesse and complexity. Foodpairing: Perfect on its own or with roast chicken, pork belly and grilled beef This wine also pairs well with matured cheese such as Cheddar and Edam and is a lovely accompaniment to creamy pasta dishes like wild mushroom risotto or alfredo. Winemaking: The 5 grape varieties used to make up this blend ripen at different times and were harvested at 24 to 26 degrees. Each varietal was vinified separately and fermented on the skins for over seven days at 25 to 27 C in closed stainless steel tanks. The fermenting mash was pumped over several times a day. After malolactic fermentation the component wines were aged for 14 - 16 months in a combination of first second and third fill barriques, of 90% French and 10% American oak, before the desired blend was made. Winemaker: Bertho v. d. Westhuizen Grape Varietals: 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Shiraz, 20% Cabernet franc, 5% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot The 5 varietals were handpicked from trellised vineyards which grow in Hutton and Glenrosa soils The north and north west facing vineyards are situated against the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain, some 100 m to 500 m above sea level, and benefit from the cooling effects of the afternoon maritime breezes during the ripening season. At the time of picking the vines were between 5 and 28 years old and yielded 6 to 9 tons per hectare. Case: 12 bottles, 750ml