Sam
The Family
Sam
2019
This wine is an expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from Stellenbosch. A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet franc, 2.5% Merlot and 2.5% Petit Verdot from some of the best vineyards around Stellenbosch.
The wine displays a stunning deep garnet colour.
The aromas of this wine are plush & luxurious with notes of black cherries, crème de cassis, cedar & tobacco leaf emanating from the glass.
The flavours are rich and textured with intense berry fruit on entry followed by a full mid-palate of briary fruit, a creamy texture leading to tannins which are firm but velvety on the finish. The oak is beautifully balanced supporting the fruit and grape tannins, adding a touch of vanilla sweetness to the mid-palate. The wine lingers on the palate for almost an eternity.
Food Pairing
A perfect accompaniment to the perfect cut of grilled beef or vegetarian options such as melanzane parmigiana or a tomato ragu.
R950.00
* This wine is available on request only. Please complete the form below to enquire about availability.
2019 was the first vintage following the drought after a very cold and wet 2018 winter we went into a relatively cool and wet spring which continued into the summer and harvest period. This resulted in minimal stress throughout the growing and ripening season. The harvest was moderate in size and exceptional in quality.
The vineyards are specially selected according to their age and site from various parts of Stellenbosch, mostly unirrigated and all low yielding (4 to 6 t/ha). This gives a pure expression of its environment in the wine. The grapes are ripened to peak maturity (between 23- and 25-degrees brix) before being hand harvested and delivered to the cellar and placed into a cold store overnight at 4 degrees Celsius.
The grapes were bunch sorted, destemmed, berry sorted and then partially crushed to small wooden upright fermenters. There is an initial cold maceration until the fermentation begins naturally.
Post fermentation maceration is dependent on the ripeness of the fruit at picking and tannin development in the wine. The wine is then drained off and pressed in a vertical basket press.
Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel after which the wine is racked and returned to barrel for further maturation. Maturation takes place in small 225-liter French barriques of which 45% is new and the balance 2nd and 3rd fill barrels. Total maturation is for 22 months with regular racking’s. The wine received no fining or filtration before bottling.
Bottling
The wine was bottled in December 2020.
- pH: 3.57
- TA: 5.1 g/l
- RS: 2.9 g/l
- Alc: 14 % by vol.
This wine can be enjoyed immediately after release but will improve with cellaring for up to 15 years from harvest.
Cabernet Sauvignon – Stellenbosch – Banhoek Valley
| AREA: | Stellenbosch in the Banhoek Valley |
| ALTITUDE: | 420 metres above sea level |
| ASPECT: | West |
| ROW DIRECTION: | North-South |
| YEAR PLANTED: | 2003 |
| SOIL TYPE: |
Oakleaf of Granitic origin |
| TRAINING: |
7-wire vertical trellis |
| PRUNING: | Spur pruned |
| IRRIGATION: |
Supplementary drip |
| PLANT DENSITY: |
3032 vines perhectare (1.2m X 2.75m spacing) |
| CROPPING: |
4.7 tons/ha or 30 hl/ha |
Cabernet Sauvignon – Stellenbosch – Helderberg
BLAAUWKLIPPEN STELLENBOSCH, HELDERBERG
| AREA: | Stellenbosch, Blaauwklippen, Herlderberg |
| ALTITUDE: | 300 metres above sea level |
| ASPECT: | North |
| ROW DIRECTION: | North-South |
| YEAR PLANTED: | 2006 |
| SOIL TYPE: |
Oakleaf /Tukulu of Granitic origin |
| TRAINING: |
7-wire vertical trellis |
| PRUNING: | Spur pruned |
| IRRIGATION: |
Supplementary drip |
| PLANT DENSITY: |
2400 vines per hectare (1.7m X 2.5m spacing) |
| CROPPING: |
3.2 tons/ha or 20 hl/ha |
Merlot – Stellenbosch – Bottelary
| AREA: | Stellenbosch in the Bottelary Ward |
| ALTITUDE: | 220 metres above sea level |
| ASPECT: | West facing |
| ROW DIRECTION: | North-South |
| YEAR PLANTED: | 1999 |
| SOIL TYPE: | Medium potential clay loam Tukulu soil |
| TRAINING: | 6-wire vertical trellis (double Perold) |
| PRUNING: | Spur pruned |
| IRRIGATION: |
Supplementary drip irrigation |
| PLANT DENSITY: | 5000 vines per hectare (1m X 2m spacing) |
| CROPPING: | average 6 to 8 tons/ha or 40 to 54 hl/ha |
Cabernet Franc – Stellenbosch – Polkadraai
| AREA: | Stellenbosch, Polkadraai Hills |
| ALTITUDE: | 210 metres above sea level |
| ASPECT: | South-West facing |
| ROW DIRECTION: | North-South |
| YEAR PLANTED: | 2001 |
| SOIL TYPE: |
Decomposed Granite |
| TRAINING: |
Sprawling Trellis – 5 wire Perold |
| PRUNING: | Spur pruned |
| IRRIGATION: |
Supplementary drip irrigation |
| PLANT DENSITY: |
2860 vines per hectare (1.4m X 2.5m spacing) |
| CROPPING: |
5 tons/ha or 32 hl/ha |
Petit Verdot – Stellenbosch – Bottelary
| AREA: | Stellenbosch, Bottelary Hills |
| ALTITUDE: | 200 metres above sea level |
| ASPECT: | West facing |
| ROW DIRECTION: | North-South |
| YEAR PLANTED: | 1999 |
| SOIL TYPE: |
Glenrosa from a granitic origin with coffee stone gravel. |
| TRAINING: |
5 wire-vertical trellis |
| PRUNING: | Spur pruned |
| IRRIGATION: |
Supplementary drip irrigation |
| PLANT DENSITY: |
3472 vines per hectare (1.2m X 2.4m spacing) |
| CROPPING: |
8 tons/ha or 52 hl/ha |
Wine Enquiry
This wine is available on request only. If you would like to purchase any, please complete the form below and we wil be in contact.
In the Spotlight
Awards & Recognition
Tim Atkin’s South Africa Report 2022
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