Cocoa Hill Rose

Vintage:

2012

Origin:

Stellenbosch

Varieties:

Merlot

3 Star John Platter

"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."

A fresh, dry and vibrant Rose made via direct pressing of Merlot providing a wine with an alluring salmon colour and appealing drinkability.

Tasting Notes:

With its vibrant pale pink colour the wine offers an array of flavours ranging from strawberries and cherries to herbaceous and grassy notes. The palate is vivacious yet full and rich with a moderate acidity to provide for an ever pleasing summer wine.

Vintage Conditions:

The 2012 vintage will be remembered as bringing one of the longest ripening periods recorded at Dornier. The heat spell in January was followed by an unusually cool February. This allowed the fruit to hang on the vines for longer, resulting in smaller, concentrated berries with intense flavours and natural acidity. We were able to pick for phenolic ripeness, without the increase in sugar sometimes experienced towards the end of the season. This resulted in beautifully flavourful fruit and excellent balance in the final product.

Fermentation and Ageing:

This year, due to prevailing weather conditions, it resulted in the Merlot being the far superior variety thereby making the 2012 predominantly Merlot. The grapes were harvested, and after destemming and crushing, spent 14 hours in the press as to extract the desired colour, before a light pressing. The resultant pink juice then fermented for 12 days at 13.5 degrees and spent a further 4 months on full lees to provide fullness and body to the wine.

Food Pairing:

With its alluring colour this wine is a good pair with fresh salmon, cold meats, lobster, salads, lighter pastas and even complements tomato based dishes that one usually struggles to find suitable wine matches for. Also great with sushi.

Alcohol:

13%

Residual Sugar:

4.2 g/L

Total Acid:

4.9 g/L

Final pH:

3.3

VA:

0.25 g/L

Printable Tasting Notes: