Wine Composition
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemakers Comments
Aromas of cherries, plums and blackcurrants are well integrated with undertones of fresh herbs, cedar and a hint of nutmeg. Granular tannins create grip and freshness on the structured palate and follow through to a long lingering finish with juicy soft fruit. A classic Stellenbosch Cabernet.
Awards
Tim Atkin | 94 points
Technical Analysis
Alcohol Percentage
14.21%
TA
5.9g/l
pH
3.72
RS
1.8g/l
Vineyard / Cellar Techniques
Once harvested, the grapes are bunch sorted and pumped into open-top fermenters. Here, Christo and the winemaking team vinify each vineyard block separately, allowing the unique characteristics and flavours of each block to develop. After a year of ageing, the final blend is made, and the wine spends a further year in oak before release. The result is a Cabernet Sauvignon that brims with complexity thanks to the blended fruit from diverse terroir. It can be enjoyed young or will benefit beautifully from cellaring
Winemaker
Name - Christo le Riche
Winery
The bespoke winery was initially operated from Jonkershoek, Stellenbosch, in an old cellar that needed considerable renovation. With great attention to detail, Etienne carefully updated the space, and production started. During this time, he also established the business model for Le Riche, which continues to be sourcing the highest quality fruit from a close network of trusted grape growers. This gave him the freedom to focus on the winemaking side of the process, a decision Etienne made with intent.By 2010, Etienne had been joined by his children, Yvonne and Christo, to assist in the growing business. One of their first tasks was identifying a new home for Le Riche wines, which eventually became their own property in the lower Helderberg region where the cellar is based today.
With the freedom to build their cellar from scratch, the winery design was influenced by the previous cellar in Jonkershoek, ensuring consistency of wine style. With traditional open-top concrete fermentation tanks and a minimum intervention winemaking approach, the winery provides a platform to create ultra-premium red wines in a classic South African style. The first vintage from the new cellar was released in 2014.
Today, Le Riche is managed by four core members, consisting of Cellarmaster Christo le Riche, Cape Wine Master Yvonne le Riche, Commercial Manager Francois le Riche and Assistant Winemaker Mark Daniels. While founder Etienne le Riche is now retired, he still acts in an advisory role, ensuring the winery continues the pursuit of expressing the finest Cabernet possible.
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