Where it's from:
>South Africa
>Stellenbosch
>Helderburg
Price per case:
£171.86
Bottle size:
75 cl
Bottles per case:
12
Style:
Powerful Reds
Grapes:
Syrah (Shiraz)
Description:
The first vines to grace Vergelegen's soil were planted in 1700 by Willem Adriaan van der Stel. Some of the varietals planted were Blue Muscadel, Steendruif (Chenin Blanc), White Muscadel and Frontinjac.
Today the vineyards at Vergelegen range in altitude from 140 metres above sea level to 310 metres with slopes facing North to North-West and South to South- East. Temperatures are monitored at three automatic and six manually read stations indicate a two degree Celsius difference between the lower, north to north-west facing slopes and the higher plateau and south facing slopes.
The climate is mild due to the proximity of False Bay (six kilometres away) and generally falls within the lower Region 111 by Degree-Days classification. While twenty-one soil types have been identified on Vergelegen and these generally have a very high clay content. Vines have been planted on Clovelly, Glenrosa and Pinedene with cultivars and rootstock selected to best match each soil type, and all the vines are trained vertically onto hedge trellis. The current plantings are Cabernet Sauvignon (33.34 ha), Merlot (23.19 ha), Cabernet Franc (5.89), Shiraz (5.83), Sauvignon Blanc (14.33 ha), Semillon (9.36 ha) and Chardonnay (14.87 ha).
Dark ruby coloured wine with violets, spice, chocolate, black and red berry fruit on the nose. Elegant on the palate, the tannins are ripe and soft and the wine has a long clean aftertaste.
