Vergenoegd Old Cape Colony Cape Vintage Port 2008 (6/case) (R189/BOTTLE)

From our 2001 vintage we have used Tinta Barocca and Touriga Naçional grapes – moving closer towards the Portuguese style of port, which are usually a blend of cultivars rather than only one cultivar.

This vintage of grapes are from two different blocks, a block of Tinta Barocca, and from a very promising block of Touriga Nacional.

Harvesting takes place when the grapes are fully ripe and packed with flavours.

The Tinta Barocca and Touriga Naçional are crushed together into traditional open fermentors (kuipe).

We allow the must to start fermenting naturally (no yeast inoculation) and the cap is continuously punched down every four hours during fermentation for maximum colour and flavour extraction.

When the desired amount of sugar has been fermented into alcohol the grapes are pressed and fortified with 80 vol% brandy spirits and aged in old 225 liter French oak barrels for 18 months.

 

Winemaker’s notes:

 

Colour:

 

Attractive, intense deep purple-red with a crimson edge.

 

Nose:

 

Sweetness on the nose with complex marmalade, apricots, currants and black cherries. Subtle hints of perfume with chocolate.

 

Palate:

 

Dry tannins but still balanced. Vanilla, mineral undertones. Very soft but still complex with long lingering finish.

 

Chemical Analyses:

 

Alcohol 20.6%vol

Acidity at bottling 5.5g/L

pH at Bottling 3.56

Residual Sugar 89.5g/L

Bottling date: 2011/02/09

 

Composition:

 

Tinta Barocca 50%

Touriga Naçional 50%

 

Wood Maturation:

 

18 Months in used 225 liter oak barrels