Weather Conditions – Simonsberg, Stellenbosch
- Following the 2021 harvest, the weather turned cooler and drier, prolonging the leaf
cycle compared to usual seasons. - Bud break occurred evenly but was delayed by seven days compared to the previous
vintage. - Spring saw persistent low temperatures, causing flowering to be postponed by
around 10 days. - Substantial rainfall during this period presented challenges to flowering and berry
set. - Despite these hurdles, moderate temperatures in early summer facilitated balanced
vine growth. - January and February witnessed a prolonged dry and hot weather spell, featuring
intermittent heat waves. - Ripening did not accelerate significantly despite the heat spikes during this period.
- While yields were modest, the resulting wines is of exceptional quality, careful
timing during picking to preserve freshness was everything for this vintage.
Winemaking
- We use a combination of whole cluster, destemmed and submerged cap fermentations. The percentage of each dependant on the vintage and how each block is presenting during harvest.
- All tanks ferment naturally, with a maximum of 2 pump-overs per day. The wine was left on the skins for 1-3 weeks after fermentation.
- Maturation took place in well-seasoned 500L French oak barrels, mostly 5th and 6th use, for a duration of 12 months.
GRAPE VARIETIES 100% Syrah
PRODUCTION 6,240 cases – 74,900 bottles
ANALYSIS Alcohol: 14.36 % Vol.; Total Acidity: 5,0 g/L; pH: 3,64; Residual Sugar: 2,2 g/L
