Braai Cabernet Sauvignon

“The earliest archaeological evidence of barbecue (Braai) is found in South Africa. On September 24th of each year the country celebrates Heritage Day, which in 2007 was renamed Braai4Heritage as a testament to its cultural importance in South Africa.”

Winemakers: Bruwer Raats & Clayton Christians
Varietal Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Location: South Africa
Appellation: Western Cape
Alcohol Content: 14%
TA: 5.83 g/l
pH: 3.78
RS: 1.73 g/l
Certifications: Integrated Production of Wines (IPW) Certified

A large portion of the grapes came from Cabernet Sauvignon vines that grow in terroir ranging from limestone, shale, and duplex with sandy top layers to granite derived soils that contain both Hutton and Clovelly on the top of the foothills and loamy gravelsoilslowerdown.Thevinesrangefrom11-23yearsofageandareplantedon a combination of warmer northwest-facing slopes and cooler south and southeast- facing slopes.

The 2020 harvest period was characterized by typical dry conditions and moderate temperatures. Carry-over effects from the heat during spring and effective canopies promoted ripening in the early cultivars and were therefore harvested much earlier. Sustained, moderate temperatures occurred until the end of March and resulted in effective plant functioning and full maturity in late cultivars.

The grapes were harvested by hand in the cool early morning. They were gently de-stemmed and sorted before being crushed and pumped to stainless steel tanks for fermentation. A combination of punch-downs and pump-overs were performed regularly during fermentation to facilitate the extraction of color, tannins and fruit aromas. Following fermentation, the tanks were drained and the skins gently pressed. Approximately 25% of the wine was aged in a combination of 225 liter and 300 liter French oak barrels for a maturation period of 12 months. The remainder was aged in stainless steel tanks.

Tasting notes 2020