Wine Composition
100% Shiraz
Winemakers Comments
The 2016 Shiraz shows textbook black pepper spice and violets on the nose, with hints of Cape fynbos and black currant. The intense fruit flavours follow on the palate with firm tannin and fresh acidity that promises great ageing potential.
Technical Analysis
Alcohol Percentage
14.40% vol
TA
6.6 g/l
pH
3.38
RS
2.9 g/l
Cellar Techniques
The grapes were handed picked at ±24º Balling and fermented in closed tanks. Pump-overs were done every 4 hours for the first half of fermentation. Post-fermentation maceration was done for about 4 weeks. The wines were matured for 14 months in 24% in New French Oak, 42% 2nd fill, 30% 3rd fill barrels and 4% 4th fill barrels.
Winemaker
Name: Boela Gerber
Winery
Commander Simon van der Stel of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) arrived at the Cape supply station in 1679. Estranged from his wife he arrived in the company of his children and sister-in-law, Cornelia Six. Back in the Netherlands van der Stel had gained a solid background in viticulture at his vineyards in Muiderbergh. There he learnt the art of wine and brandy making which he was soon to implement here in the Cape.
The estate is today owned by the Groot Constantia Trust, an association incorporated under Section 21 of the Companies Act of 1973, which is committed to maintain and restore this national monument which is South Africa's oldest and best known wine estate.
Constantia stands as a pinion of excellence for the wine industry and is an ideal example for the preservation of the cultural and historical heritage of the country.
It is a fully operational farm, one of South Africa’s most visited tourist attractions, where a wide range of quality estate wines are created and sold (seven days a week), and a variety of other attractions, including restaurants & museums make a visit an unforgettable experience.
