45% PINOTAGE, 22% CABERNET FRANC, 22% MERLOT, 11% SHIRAZ VINIFICATION: THESE GRAPES ARE CAREFULLY SELECTED IN SPECIFIC IDENTIFIED VINEYARDS BEFORE HARVEST COMMENCES. GRAPES ARE THEN HAND-PICKED IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING AS SUN BREAKS. THE GRAPES ARE DELIVERED TO THE WINERY IN SMALL CRATES THAT ARE OFF LOADED AT OUR BOUTIQUE CRUSHING FACILITY. THE GRAPES ARE THEN DESTEMMED THROUGH A SMALL CRUSHER INTO ONE TON OPEN FERMENT CONTAINERS. AFTER DESTEMMING THE BUNCHES, THE GRAPES ARE COLD MACERATED FOR UP TO 4 DAYS WHERE INTENSE COLOUR AND FRUIT EXTRACTION OCCURS. THE GRAPES AND JUICE ARE THEN INOCULATED WITH A PREMIUM SELECTED YEAST STRAIN TO COMMENCE A CONTROLLED FERMENTATION PROCESS AT 20 DEGREES CELSIUS. THROUGHOUT THE FERMENTATION PROCESS THE MASH OF GRAPES AND JUICE ARE GENTLY PUNCHED DOWN BY HAND. THE LATTER PROCESS IS CRITICAL FOR THE OPTIMAL EXTRACTION OF SOFT TANNIN AND PROLONGED COLOUR. AS SOON AS THE FERMENTATION PROCESS IS FINISHED, EXTENDED SKIN CONTACT BETWEEN WINE AND GRAPES IS EXECUTED. MOREOVER, THE FREE RUN WINE IS SEPARATED AFTER THE EXTENDED SKIN CONTACT BY MEANS OF A BASKET PRESS. THE FREE RUN WINE IS THEN GRAVITY FED INTO 300L FRENCH OAK BARRELS FOR MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION TO OCCUR. THE BARRELS RANGE FROM FIRST TO THIRD FILL BARRELS. THE WINE IS AGED FOR A PERIOD OF 14-18 MONTHS TO ENSURE THAT IT IS FRUIT DRIVEN WITH AN INTENSE BOUQUET. AFTER THE AGEING IN BARRELS THE WINE IS BOTTLED. LET IT REST AND CONSUME AFTER 8 MONTHS OF BOTTLING. THE WINE HAS A POTENTIAL TO AGE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.