SylvanVale Pinotage 2004

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Awards

Silver Veritas 2006 and 2007 & Bronze 2007 London International Wine & Spirit Competition

Tasting Notes

Appearance Deep dark ruby red centre and a red edge.
Nose The nose is full bodied with sweet cherry and a touch of mint. The wood is balanced with hints of spice.
Palate The entry is dry, yet the follow through from the nose is full bodied with great structure and intense red cherry, rasberry and blueberry flavours. Well balanced acidity and alcohol with Pino Noir characteristics. The complexity of the wood and the ripe soft tannins create a solid platform for the wine to age to its complete uniqueness. This wine will age well for 10 years plus. The wine is from the Devon Valley Hotel's own Pinotage block, aged 28 years. Unirrigated south-east facing vines produce wine of great depth and character, reflecting our unique combination of soil and climate. This wine encapsulates the true intense, complex essence of Pinotage.

The block is carefully managed to achieve optimal ripeness on the south facing slope. The vines are trellised and produce on average between 5 - 7 tons per ha.

Food Notes

A perfect match to enjoy with rich meat dishes such as lamb shank & oxtail. Also well recommended to pair with game.

Cellar Notes

The wine is cold soaked for 5 days below 14 deg C and then inoculated with selected yeast to ferment at 25-27 deg C till pressed. Once pressed the wine is racked directly to 75% new and 25% first-fill 300 litre French oak barrels. The wine is racked 3 or 4 times in the year and matured for 12 months in wood.

Technical Analysis

Alcohol 13.67%
Total Acid 5.4g/l
pH 3.73
Residual Sugar 3.4g/l
Total So2 110mg/l
Free So2 35mg/l
Volatile Acidity 0.69g/l

SylvanVale Vineyards

SylvanVale is the name given to the Vineyards surrounding the historic Devon Valley Hotel. Built in 1947, the hotel is a well-known Stellenbosch landmark and generations of Stellenbosch residents have fond memories of enjoying a drink or a meal while sitting on the hotel patio overlooking the vineyards. It is these vineyards which now produce the SylvanVale wines for the Louis Family.

Grapes have been grown on the property since the 1960s. Today these are some of the flagship vineyards in the Devon Valley, and the south-east facing slopes with their rich red soils now produce superb Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc and Shiraz cultivars. Viticulturist Lorna Hughes, who has been instrumental in the renaissance of the property, implements a programme of total quality management, with rigorous bunch selection throughout the year. Winemaker Mark Carmichael-Green’s hand in the cellar has resulted in intensely flavoured and ultra ripe fruit - the basis of SylvanVale's big, bold wines.

1

moonfield:

It's true, an amazing wine. The full-bodied complexity of the wine combines smoky aromas with vanilla and coffee flavours and upfront fruit on the palette. The wine boasts well-integrated flavours and intense colour.

11/05/2008 - 16:39
2

Anonymous:

This delightful wine is a true celebration of Pinotage! Full–bodied with sweet cherry and a touch of mint.

11/05/2008 - 15:47

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