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10 YEAR RELEASE
"60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot. Matured for 20 months in barrel, 80% new. Red and black berries, violets, some leafiness and earth on the nose. The palate is full but balanced - impressive depth of fruit and fresh acidity before a savoury finish. Plenty of detail."
– 10-Year-Old Wine Report 2024 convened by Winemag.co.za in association with Amorim Cork
All fruit was sourced from the Ernie Els Wines property, with vineyards that grow on the warm north-facing slopes of the Helderberg region within the Stellenbosch appellation. Each variety is separately managed to create unique and varied flavour profiles for this classic Bordeaux-style blend. With an altitude of approximately 250 metres above sea level, together with the cooling influence of the Atlantic Ocean, the ripening period can be extended resulting in wines with phenolic ripeness.
The grapes are hand-harvesting in the cool of the early morning. Whole berries are fermented in open top tanks and barrels with intermittent pump-overs and punch-downs to ensure a balance between flavour, colour and tannin extraction from the skins. All ferments are meticulously monitored to ensure that all the natural aromas and flavours are preserved. After primary fermentation, some tanks will undergo extended maceration. Each variety is matured separately in oak before final blending.
The Ernie Els Signature Bordeaux-style Blend is once again extremely impressive in this classic 2014 vintage. Dark at the core with a crimson rim, it is full-bodied, elegantly endowed and finely poised. The nose unravels with pencil shavings, wet earth, cedar, dried leaves and an array of sweet fruits. The new oak is well integrated into a richly-concentrated palate, framed by dry, yet complex tannins. There is ample structure and depth for it to age effortlessly for a decade or more.
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Cabernet Sauvignon 60%; Merlot 25%; Cabernet Franc 5%; Malbec 5%; Petit Verdot 5%
Alc 14.96% by Vol. – R.S. 4.2 g/l – T.A. 6.1 g/l – pH 3.78
Aged for 20 months in 300 litre French Oak Barrels (80% new)
Winemag 10-Year-Old Report 2024 – 93 Points (Top 10)
Tim Atkin – 93 Points
Wine Magazine – 93 Points
IWSC (London) – Gold
