Stellenzicht GOLDEN TRIANGLE Merlot Stellenbosch RSA
Name:
Stellenzicht GOLDEN TRIANGLE Merlot Stellenbosch RSA - 2003 / 04
Where it's from:
>South Africa
>Stellenbosch
Price per case:
£128.47
Bottle size:
75 cl
Bottles per case:
12
Style:
Soft & Supple Reds
Grapes:
Merlot
Description:
Known initially as Rustenberg and later Alphen, this vineyard at one time belonged to the Baimsfather-Cloete family who produced the famous Constantia wines. In 1981 the estate was acquired by Hans-Joachim Schreiber who renamed it Stellenzicht or in its literal translation 'View of Stellen'(bosch).
Planted between 1990 and 1993, the grapes from the vineyards used to craft this wine are grown on slopes facing west and north-west and in soils originating from decomposed granite and Table Mountain sandstone.
All the grapes for this wine were harvested by hand and reached the cellar at between 22.5 and 24.6 degrees Balling. After destalking and crushing, the mash was fermented with a selected, pure yeast culture. After six days the juice has been removed from the skins.
Once the fermentation had been completed, the wine was drained off the primary lees and transferred to a 'resting' tank. A brief settling period preceded the transfer of the wine into small, 225 litre oak barrels. Finally, a light egg-white fining had been used to 'polish' the wine before it was bottled.
This medium to full bodied wine is matured in French, American and Russian oak barrels and this has produced a bright ruby coloured wine. There is good integration of peppery vanilla aromas from the oak and ripe black currant characteristics of the fruit. A sweetish almond character follows through from the nose and the fruit of black berries and cherries dominate this wine while the soft tannins complement the enjoyable elegant finish.
Known initially as Rustenberg and later Alphen, this vineyard at one time belonged to the Baimsfather-Cloete family who produced the famous Constantia wines. In 1981 the estate was acquired by Hans-Joachim Schreiber who renamed it Stellenzicht or in its literal translation 'View of Stellen' . At ages of between nine and twelve years old, the vineyards from which the fruit were selected in crafting this wine are grown in decomposed granite at altitudes ranging between 180 (12 x 75 cl)
Known initially as Rustenberg and later Alphen, this vineyard at one time belonged to the Baimsfather-Cloete family who produced the famous Constantia wines. In 1981 the estate was acquired by Hans-Joachim Schreiber who renamed it Stellenzicht or in its literal translation 'View of Stellen' . Matured in French and American oak barrels, this delightful Pinotage is intensely purple with a scarlet tinge. Aromas of plums and berries backed by oak, cinnamon and cloves give way to a rich, mouth-filling palate while the concentrated fruit flavours are layered with nuances of herbs. The grapes for this wine came from bush vines grown on relatively flat terrain in decomposed granite, established in 1995. No supplementary irrigation was given during the growing season. To compensate for the youth of the vines, yield was restricted through aggressive winter pruning and bunch breaking just after veraison and ensured intensity of flavour. The grapes were hand-picked at 25,8º Balling. After destalking and crushing, fermentation took place between 28º and 30º Celsius. Malolactic fermentation followed in small oak, using a combination of American and French , where the wine matured for 16 months, finally, a light egg-white fining preceded bottling. (12 x 75 cl)
Known initially as Rustenberg and later Alphen, this vineyard at one time belonged to the Baimsfather-Cloete family who produced the famous Constantia wines. In 1981 the estate was acquired by Hans-Joachim Schreiber who renamed it Stellenzicht or in its literal translation 'View of Stellen' . The Golden Triangle Shiraz is barrel-matured in French and American oak. Intense, rich ruby hues with a distinct, youthful purple tinge dominate the colour while there is a rich complexity of aromas on the nose -including mocha and dark chocolate combined with the spicy sweetness of ripe plums and roasted almonds. On the palate, the wine is full and succulent with firm, yet soft tannins as the ripeness of fruit results in the mouth-filling experience of true Shiraz. Planted between 1989 and 1991, the vineyards bearing the grapes used to craft this wine are grown on slopes facing west and north-west and on soils originating from decomposed granite and Table Mountain sandstone. The yield from the vineyard was restricted to an average of 4.9 Tonnes per hectare to further enhance the quality of the fruit.. All of the grapes for this wine were harvested by hand, after destalking and crushing, the mash was fermented in stainless steel tanks with selected, pure yeast cultures with the juice being removed from the skins after five days. Once the fermentation was complete, the wine was drained off the primary lees and transferred to a 'resting' tank. Malolactic fermentation and a brief settling period preceded the transfer of the wine to a combination of 66% new Oak barrels and 34% third-fill Oak barrels (12 x 75 cl)
Known initially as Rustenberg and later Alphen, this vineyard at one time belonged to the Baimsfather-Cloete family who produced the famous Constantia wines. In 1981 the estate was acquired by Hans-Joachim Schreiber who renamed it Stellenzicht or in its literal translation 'View of Stellen' . Planted between 1987 and 1992, the vineyards used to craft this wine are grown on slopes facing west and north-west and on soils originating from decomposed granite and Table Mountain sandstone. All of the grapes for this wine were harvested by hand and reached the winery at between 22.2 and 24.6 º Balling. After destalking and crushing, the mash was fermented with a selected, pure yeast culture with the juice being removed from the skins after six days. Once the fermentation was complete, the wine was drained off the primary lees and transferred to a 'resting' tank. A brief settling period preceded the transfer of the wine to a combination of large, 5000 litre French oak vats and small, 225 litre French as well as Russian-oak barrels where malolactic fermentation was completed and where it spent the next seventeen months maturing. Finally, a light egg white fining was used to 'polish' the wine before being bottled. The Cabernet Sauvignon is matured in predominantly French, but also American, oak barrels. Bright ruby hues dominate the colour while the wine displays excellent integration of peppery, vanilla oak aromas as well as ripe black currant fruit characteristics. The structure is medium to full-bodied, with soft tannins imparting elegance and the staying power to last. To complement the black berries and cassis flavours, a peppery character follows through from the nose while the wine finishes well. (12 x 75 cl)
Known initially as Rustenberg and later Alphen, this vineyard at one time belonged to the Baimsfather-Cloete family who produced the famous Constantia wines. In 1981 the estate was acquired by Hans-Joachim Schreiber who renamed it Stellenzicht or in its literal translation 'View of Stellen' . The vineyards from which the fruit was selected in crafting this wine are situated on the only south-facing portion of land on the property. Here, at an altitude of around 170 metres above sea level, the mesoclimate is ideal for the growing of top quality Sauvignon Blanc grapes. This Sauvignon Blanc displays very good balance and an elegant, yet forthcoming complexity. The classic appeal of good fruit flavours, in particular green figs, peppers and subtle asparagus, combines with an almost full-bodied mouth feel and exceptional length of this enjoyable wine. (12 x 75 cl)
Known initially as Rustenberg and later Alphen, this vineyard at one time belonged to the Baimsfather-Cloete family who produced the famous Constantia wines. In 1981 the estate was acquired by Hans-Joachim Schreiber who renamed it Stellenzicht or in its literal translation 'View of Stellen' . Matured in oak this Syrah displays intense ruby rich hues with a distinct, youthful purple tinge and opaque centre. A rich complexity of mocha and dark chocolate aromas combines with the spicy sweetness of ripe plims and toasted oak; while cinnamon and cloves round off the sweetish fruit aromas. Full-bodied yet succulent with firm, soft tannins resulting in a perfectly balanced acidity this is a wine to enjoy through to the enjoyable finish. Situated midway between the Helderberg Mountain and False Bay, lies an exceptional tract of land that benefits from a terroir eminently suited to the cultivation of the highest quality wine grapes. This jewel in the crown of the magnificent Stellenbosh wine-growing area is known as the Golden Triangle. At its core lies Stellenzicht where this wonderful wine gets its grapes. The single vineyard, planted in 1989, is situated on the slopes facing west and north-west in soils originating from decomposed granite, at an altitude of 120 m above sea-level. This vineyard block is affectionately known as 'Plum Pudding Hill' as it consistently produces fruit of high quality and ripeness. The grapes were harvested by hand and after destalking and crushing, the mash was fermented in two separate batches in stainless steel tanks at 28°C, with differing selected pure yeast cultures . The juice was removed from the skins after five days. Once malolactic fermentation was completed the wine was left to mature in a combination of French , American and Hungarian oak for a period of 19 months before bottling. (6 x 75 cl)
Known initially as Rustenberg and later Alphen, this vineyard at one time belonged to the Baimsfather-Cloete family who produced the famous Constantia wines. In 1981 the estate was acquired by Hans-Joachim Schreiber who renamed it Stellenzicht or in its literal translation 'View of Stellen' . This high-powered wine has a brilliant lime-green colour, with full-ripe limey, citrus aromas, mixed with vanilla and smoky oak. A Citrus burst of fruit on the palate is also showing peaches and apricots, with a very attractive element of sweetness and toasty oak. Made in the full-bodied style, this concentrated Semillon also combines marmalade zest with butterscotch cream, while the mouthfeel is soft and waxy leading to a long finish. The semillon vines which were planted in 1986 in decomposed granite soil, and once the grapes were harvested only free-run juice was gathered in stainless-steel tanks. Fermentation was completed in 100% new French oak: Francois Frere , Radoux , Vicard and Saure . The wine then spent a total of just over 8 months in wood and batonnage took place every two weeks for two months, and thereafter only once every month. After stabilisation, the wine was ready to be bottled. (6 x 75 cl)
Known initially as Rustenberg and later Alphen, this vineyard at one time belonged to the Baimsfather-Cloete family who produced the famous Constantia wines. In 1981 the estate was acquired by Hans-Joachim Schreiber who renamed it Stellenzicht or in its literal translation 'View of Stellen' . Winemaker Guy Webber has combined his expertise with Shiraz and his love of Pinotage to produce Rhapsody. A blend of 53% Pinotage and 47% Shiraz, it melds the outstanding characteristics of both these varietals to create a new wine that is greater than the sum of its parts. This wine is an intense, rich ruby colour with a distinct, youthful purple tinge. A rich complexity of aromas including mocha and dark chocolate combine with the spicy sweetness of ripe plums and roasted almonds. A full-bodied wine with succulent, ripe fruit flavours the polished structure with Fruit and wood seamlessly integrate while softer tannins make for early enjoyment. Grapes were sourced from vineyards in the Stellenbosch area and grown on slopes facing west and north-west on soils originating from decomposed granite and Table Mountain sandstone. Ranging in age from 6 to 14 years and at altitudes of 150 m to 300 m the grapes are pruned and trained in order to balance the growth and yields for absolute quality. Receiving no supplementary irrigation, the yields from both vineyards were lower than usual due to very selective picking and averaged out at below six tons per hectare. The grapes were harvested by hand and after destalking and crushing, the mash was fermented in stainless steel tanks at 29° C with selected pure yeast cultures . The juice was separated from the skins after five days. Once malolactic fermentation was complete the wine was matured in a combination of French , American and Hungarian oak. Mostly new oak was used with a combination of second and third-fill . (6 x 75 cl)