Vinbeskrivelse
Raats Dolomite Cabernet Franc 2014
Tasting Notes:
The nose shows dark, sour cherry. Dark berries, spiciness and herbs linger on the palate. The wine has great purity of fruit with a hint of wet-stone minerality and a velvet soft finish.
Ageing Potential:
2 – 5 years (drinks exceptionally well now).
Blend Information:
95% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec
Food Suggestions:
Pork Loin with plum and Armagnac sauce | Game bird with red wine sauce | Springbok, Ostrich or Kudu | Karoo lamb | Hard cheeses
In The Vineyard:
Soil Type: 100% Decomposed Dolomite Granite.
Age of vines: 7 – 20 years.
Trellis: vertical hedge.
The grapes come from Stellenbosch and are grown only on decomposed dolomite granite soils. This lends itself to great acidity, freshness and an extended mineral finish.
About The Harvest
Individual vineyard blocks where hand-picked at perfect ripeness during the last week in February until the first week in March.
Yield: 6 – 8 t/ha
Grape Sugar: 23° – 24° Balling
In The Cellar
Grapes were hand sorted three times, crushed and left to cold soak on the skins for five days. After fermentation at a temperature of 28°C, the grapes were basket pressed and underwent malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks.
This wine was matured in 300 litre French Oak barrels for 14 months. No new oak or 2nd fill oak was used. The wine was matured using only equal parts of 3rd, 4th and 5th fill barrels.
Technical Analysis:
Main Variety: Cabernet Franc. Alcohol: 13.5 %vol. pH: 3.51. RS: 2.5 g/l. Total Acid: 5.5 g/l. Appellation: Stellenbosch
