Cocoa Hill Red

Vintage:

2010

Origin:

Western Cape

Varieties:

Merlot (63%), Shiraz (32%) and Cabernet Franc (5%)

Bronze China Wine & Spirits Awards

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 2010 is a youthful yet refined blend of Merlot (63%), Shiraz (32%) and Cabernet Franc (5%) which grows 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:

The wine shows the spicy fullness and upfront fruit of Shiraz, the plum fruit, red berries and supple tannins of Merlot, The hint of Cabernet Franc lends depth and structure, while rounding off the blend. The palate is full, fresh and lively with a dense yet very supple tannin structure and a well-balanced, integrated acidity leaving a persisting finish.

Vintage Conditions:

The 2010 vintage was by no means the easiest. The quality was excellent but we were badly affected by the winds around flowering which had a drastic effect on the earlier varieties. From January until the end of harvest great weather prevailed with almost no rain. These lower crop levels due to the winds resulted in the vines having less fruit to ripen and thereby concentrating their flavours within, which produced high quality complex fruit with lovely freshness and elegance.

Fermentation and Ageing:

The wines individually spent approximately 8-12 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 un-oaked component was used to provide a fresh and lively character.

Food Pairing:

Braised oxtail, Boeuf bourguignon, charcuterie platter and Smoked kudu Carpaccio

Alcohol:

14.5%

Residual Sugar:

2.1 g/L

Total Acid:

5.5 g/L

Final pH:

3.57

VA:

0.55 g/L