2007 | Cocoa Hill Red
Cabernet Sauvignon (41%), Merlot (32%), Shiraz (18%) and Cabernet Franc (6%)
Decanter World Wine Awards, Commended
"In a time of seafaring and spice, pirates played in Table Bay…
Among them was Long Ben - as fierce as he was tall,
he looted and pillaged and scavenged from all.
Ben fast became known for being up to no good,
and so fled from the seas and gave up his loot.
He planted some vines, as was the way,
and peered out towards the ocean almost every day.
Long Ben would have gazed longingly at the vista of Table Bay
from where our vines grow today, on Cocoa Hill."
The Cocoa Hill Red 2007 is a youthful yet refined blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz and Cabernet Franc which grow in the decomposed red granite soils of Cocoa Hill – a hilltop in the folds of the Stellenbosch Mountain, superbly positioned in prime South African terroir.
Tasting Notes
At first encounter, one undoubtedly discovers the prominent Shiraz characters providing the upfront fruit and hints of white pepper albeit not one of the major components in this blend. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot almost seem to lend supporting characteristics of red fruits and earth respectively. The palate has a great balance of refined tannins, acid and fruit leaving you with a lasting fresh impression.
Vintage Conditions
The season leading up to the harvest period provided excellent conditions for optimal ripeness and flavour concentration. This year the harvest started earlier than expected, 10 days to be exact, however, it ended approximately 10 days later. These longer ripening conditions therefore provided for excellent fruit concentration and elegance.
Fermentation and Ageing
The wines individually spent approximately 14-21 days in vineyard specific batches for the primary alcoholic fermentation with gentle pump overs for colour and tannin extraction being performed twice daily. The wines then underwent malolactic fermentation providing complexity and fullness. Certain batches were carefully barrel matured for 14 months in second fill French oak barrels and a small unwooded component was used to provide a fresh and lively character.
Food Pairing
Game, mature cheddar, roast lamb
Analysis
Alcohol : 14.0 %
Residual Sugar : 2.7 g/L
Total Acid : 5.8 g/L
Final pH : 3.5
VA : 0.51 g/L
Documents
 download 2008 Tasting Notes
(448.78 kb)
download 2007 Tasting Notes
(258.55 kb)
download 2006 Tasting Notes
(79.85 kb)
download 2005 Tasting Note
(79.54 kb)
download 2004 Tasting Notes
(238.89 kb)
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