Wine Composition

73% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Malbec

Winemakers Comments

Steenberg Five Lives expresses an intense dark red hue with a lighter, garnet red on the rim. The nose displays prominently with blackcurrant cassis and notes of fennel, prune and cinnamon. It is a medium to full-bodied wine, showing a silky texture and depth, as well as an elegant tannin structure. Flavours of smooth blackberry jam lead into star anise and ground spice. The mid palate has a juicy cherry compote fruit profile with the acidity tempering a slight richness. Merlot forms the backbone of this wine with clean, bright fruit which add subtle freshness. The Cabernet Sauvignon brings a formal, earnest profile to the blend and the Malbec rounds it all off with fruit weight. This wine is showing beautifully now and will reward cellaring for up to 5 years.

Technical Analysis

Alcohol Percentage

13.97

TA

5.6g/l

pH

3.65

RS

2.2 g/l

Vinification

The three varietal portions for Steenberg Five Lives were vinified in stainless steel tanks. Prior to fermentation, 10-15% of the juice was drawn off the skins to aid body and fullness. The varietals were fermented separately, on the skins, for 14 days. Pump overs were done twice per day to extract colour and tannin. After fermentation and malolactic conversion they were separately racked into 4th fill and older small French oak barrels. The wine was aged for 22 months after which it was blended and a light fining was done before bottling in August 2023.

Winemaker

Name - Elunda Basson

Winery

Steenberg holds the distinction of being the oldest farm in the picturesque Constantia Valley, which is generally considered to be South Africa’s premier wine growing region. With its cool, sea-facing slopes and majestic granite ridges, this vineyard has developed a worldwide reputation for producing excellent Cape wines. The estate boasts a state of the art modern winery, producing some of the country’s finest award winning wines.