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Spring 2007
Dear Wine Lover,
The 2007 harvest is safely in the barrels and we are looking forward to summer after being saturated by all the rain this year (800 mm to date in September).
This year's harvest started unusually early after a heat wave but slowed down after some good February rains. The Cabernet was subsequently harvested under normal, cool conditions in mid-March. The earlier ripening Merlot suffered in the heat and was not introduced as a blender this year. The Cabernet grapes, on the other hand, were of exceptional quality picked at optimal ripeness with balanced sugar/acid ratio and firm tannins.
The current wines available are from the very highly rated 2003 vintage. The Reserve 2003 was recognised as the best red wine entered by the International SAA panel. It is full bodied and rich with spicy oak favours, succulent tannins and a long aftertaste - ideal for maturation until 2010 and longer. The “regular” Cabernet 2003 shows more vanilla / mint on the bouquet with soft, supple tannin structure, in itself also an exceptional wine with its own character.
The Le Riche “Grand Vin de Terroir”, which I produce in France, is also from the 2003 vintage. This was an extremely hot summer in France and had the winemakers perplexed – they normally have to heat their cabernet to help fermentation, not cool it! This wine is very fruity/grapey at this stage but, as the 2002 has proven, changes and improves rapidly with bottle ageing.
I added a little Shiraz to the Cabernet-Merlot blend of 2004 just to make it a little “different” and I am very pleased how this has turned out … I might even make it a fixture, and if so, it will need a name, so if there are any wordsmiths out there, I would be grateful to hear of any suggestions you might have.
The lone white wine and new addition to my range, the Chardonnay 2006, has been very well received … Tasters have been impressed by the typical lemony flavour and the fresh, crisp acidity without dominating oak.
My son, Christo, having completed his viticultural studies at Stellenbosch, is now working in California (Staggs Leap Cellar) and Yvonne, after a year with Majestic Wines in the UK , is now returning to South Africa and joining the local wine industry.
Please pay us a visit for a tasting if you are in Stellenbosch.
Best regards,
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