Wine Composition
50% Merlot & 50% shiraz
Winemakers Comments
Intense deep ruby color. Intense flavors of black cherry, savory nuttiness, beef dripping, dark chocolate, alluring aromas of ripe strawberry, nuances of blueberry backed with a subtle hint of forest floor and the faintist whiff of white truffle. Full bodied on the palate, intense, ripe, refined, supple tannins, long finish. Broad flavor profile with mocha, anise and nutmeg playing off each other. Highly complex, multi-layered wine with very fine tannins and a wonderful acidity.
Awards
Jancis Robinson | 90 points
Technical Analysis
Alcohol Percentage
15.5%
TA
5.2 g/l
pH
3.61
RS
2.4 g/l
Vinification
The maiden vintage of this unique co-fermented wine is only possible due to the rare occurrence of Merlot and Syrah ripening at the same time on the Holden Manz farm in Franschhoek. The individual varietals were hand-picked on 10th March 2015 by our Cellarmaster and then hand-sorted allowing only the most optimally ripe berries to be used for this wine. Three brand new 225 liter French oak barrels with medium toast were filled with a mix of Merlot and Syrah berries. The barrels were rolled regularly until spontaneous fermentation occurred.
Winemaker
Name - Thierry Haberer
Winery
Named after owners Gerard Holden and Migo Mans, this Franschhoek property was originally developed into a wine farm in 1999. Located in the top, southern-most corner of the Franschhoek Valley, in the embrace of its spectacular mountains, the 22 hectares Holden Manz Wine Estate is situated between the Franschhoek River and Stony Brook at 300 meters above sea level. Today it is a lifestyle destination, boasting five-star guest house and spa, restaurant, picnics by the Franschhoek river, with an art collection housed in the town.
An exclusive grower of red grapes, the Estate only cultivates its top 16 hectares under vineyards, notably Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Merlot resulting in the production of ultra-premium wines made for the discerning wine connoisseur.