Wine Composition
36% Cabernet, 33% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 11%
Petite Verdot, 8% Malbec
Winemakers Comments
The wine shows big red fruit flavors of plum and ripe
red cherries, balanced with a touch of vanilla and baking spices on
the nose. Juicy mouth filling flavors of red raspberry jam, fresh
plums and smoky hints, are all supported by a soft tannin structure
and a rounded finish. This wine would pair very well with a well
marbeled cut of New York Strip or a roasted rack of lamb with fresh
herbs
Technical Analysis
Alcohol Percentage
14%
TA
5.7 g/l
pH
3.73
RS
1.2 g/l
Vineyards
The grapes are selected from top growers in
Stellenbosch. A combination of soil, climate, clones and vine age
determine the vineyard blocks selected. With meticulous viticulture
and a focus on canopy microclimate and soil health, we try to
ensure that each vineyard can express itself to its full extent.
Vineyard blocks are vinified separately to determine their quality
and style, ensuring that their unique character is understood and
shown.
Within Stellenbosch, the majority of the fruit comes
from two soil types – decomposed granite soils higher on the
mountain slopes and sandy gravel on the valley floor. Most of our
vineyards are close to the ocean, providing a cooling breeze in the
afternoon during the hot summer months. These vineyards are also on
sandy gravel soils that warm up fast during budding and provide us
with earlier ripening grapes. The decomposed granite soils are
mainly higher on the mountain slopes where the altitude helps to
cool the vineyards. These soils bud and ripen later in the season.
Other soils include decomposed shale and the warmer slopes of the
Bottelary Hills.
Cellar Techniques
The basic vinification involves the use of open top
fermenters and manual punch downs under controlled fermentation
temperatures. The berries are sorted after de-stemming and then go
to open, lined concrete fermenters where inoculation with yeast
takes place. Fermentation on the skins follows with regular manual
punch-downs to ensure maximum color, tannin and flavor
extraction.
The wines were fermented separately until dry in
traditional open concrete tanks with regular manual plunging.
Secondary fermentation proceeded in tanks after which the wines
were moved to French oak barrels for 12 months. Blended after a
year of aging and matured for a further 8 months in barrel. No
fining.
Winemaker
Name - Cristo le Riche
Winery
Le Riche Wines is situated on the slopes of the
Helderberg Mountain, in close proximity to the historic town of
Stellenbosch. Le Riche Wines was founded by Etienne le Riche
in 1996 and is now run as a family concern. Coming from an
illustrious career in the South African wine industry, Etienne
decided to create a winery where he could express the cultivar he
had grown to love and respect, Cabernet Sauvignon. The
approach was simple, to illustrate the nuances of Stellenbosch
Cabernets as best possible. Preferring not to be inhibited by
estate classification, he chose to select grapes from the best
possible terroirs Stellenbosch had to offer. The resulting
wines have shown great elegance and class, consistently proving to
be of superb quality and maturation potential.
