Cocoa Hill Red

Vintage: 
2008
Origin: 
Western Cape
Varieties: 
Shiraz (50%), Merlot (33%), Cabernet Sauvignon (12%) and Malbec (5%)
87/100 & Best Buy Wine Enthusiast (07)

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 2008 is a youthful yet refined blend of Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec 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 2008 saw us using a majority proportion of Shiraz into the blend and it is very evident on both the nose and the palate. Skillfully blended to combine all the intrinsic characters of the various variety elements, the nose shows off with an array of aromas ranging from plum, freshly ground white pepper, vanilla and even caramel. The palate provides a full yet very elegant culmination of these flavours and lovely fine tannins.
Vintage Conditions: 
The winter leading up to the 2008 vintage was almost ideal, with cold weather and ample rain providing the perfect conditions for complete vine dormancy. These conditions are generally favoured for evenness and bud break which eventually resulted in a better-quality crop. Once the growing season commenced, cooler conditions dominated, proving ideal for slow ripening and intense flavour development for these varieties.
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 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%
Residual Sugar: 
3.3 g/L
Total Acid: 
5.24 g/L
Final pH: 
3.64
VA: 
0.51 g/L