Zevenwacht Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc 2013 (6/case) (R116/BOTTLE)

Wine Style:

 

Full bodied & intense

 

When to Enjoy:

 

A rich and full wine to enjoy relaxing around the fire or with a scrumptious meal.

 

How to Serve:

 

We recommend decanting this wine and serving it between 16 and 18ºC.

 

Our meal suggestions:

 

Cabernet Sauvignon is not a delicate wine, so rich and wholesome fare is needed to show off the robust flavours.  It is therefore best with aged prime rib or T-bone steak, medium rare – olive oil and mustard seed rump served with a peasant salad (everything except the leaves) or a hearty oxtail.  Non meat options can prevail too such as black bean stew but don’t be limited by these ideas. Wine is most enjoyed – your way.

 

The wine itself:

 

The wine is big, bold and full-bodied with intense aromas of  black bramble berries, black currant with a hint of blue berries, with tobacco cigar box undertones. Oak aromas are well integrated and add to the complexity of the wine with underlying cedar and cigar box notes. Dark blackberry and plum flavours dominate the palate, followed by hints of cacao. A firm yet well integrated tannin structure and lingering finish.

 

What about the grapes?

 

100% Cabernet Sauvignon

 

And the vineyards (terroir):

 

The grapes for the 2013 vintage come from 3 different underlying vineyards, all on west south-west facing slopes.   We crafted this wine from one older and two new vineyards. All three vineyards are at an altitude from 100–150m above sea-level. The situation of these blocks offers maximum exposure to the cooling sea breezes from the nearby Atlantic Ocean, keeping the vines and their fruit cool during the warmer days of the ripening period. In turn, this allows for the maximum flavour, colour and tannin development. The vines are trellised on a seven-wire hedge system and receive only supplementary drip irrigation.

 

How was it made:

 

The grapes were picked at 25.5 Brix, destalked and lightly crushed into 10-ton open top fermenters. The must was fermented at a regulated 27oC with regular pump overs, and punch downs. During the active part of fermentation, we punched down every 4 hours. This is done to break up the cap of the fermenting wine and to submerge the skins for colour and skin tannin extraction.  We left the wine on the skins for a total of 14 days. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in barrel, after which it was racked and then returned to 50% new and 50% 2nd fill French oak Hogsheads, for 18 months.

 

Should this wine age / mature?

 

Superb to drink now but excellent aging potential 5 – 15 years.

 

Technical Facts:

 

Grape Origin: Stellenbosch

Wine Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Body: Full

Barrel Treatment:  16 Months

 

ALC:  14.5%   Ph: 3.68   TA: 5.7 g/l   RS: 2.9 g/l