In July 1983 the McLean Family Trust bought the old fruit farm Thelema, situated on the top of the Helshoogte Pass about 6 kilometers outside of Stellenbosch. This purchase was the culmination of a long search by Gyles and Barbara Webb for that rare location where exceptional wines could be made.
The farm comprises 157 ha of land on the slopes of the Simonsberg. The elevation ranges from 370 to 640 meters above sea level of mainly south-facing slopes, making Thelema one of the highest and probably coolest wine farms in the Stellenbosch area.
The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are De-stalked, crushed, pumped into stainless steel tanks, inoculated with yeast, pumped over for 6 days, left for a further 10 days before pressing, and racked barrel after malolactic fermentation. The wine is then aged 20 months in 225 l French oak, 50% new wood.
This wine has concentrated blackcurrant, blackberry and mocha flavours, hints of mint and eucalyptus with nice grippy tannins and long finish.
