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 Neethlingshof Estate
   +27 21 883-8988
   +27 21 883-8941
   info@neethlingshof.co.za
   www.neethlingshof.co.za
 
At Neethlingshof Estate, the unique one kilometre Pine Avenue which greets visitors is a fitting prelude to the delights which await visitors on the estate. Here, since 1692, winemakers have unhurriedly worked at perfecting their craft, working in quiet harmony with nature.
 


Another Caracal makes its appearance
09 March 2010  by De Kock Communications
Neethlingshof close to Stellenbosch has just released its top-tier Bordeaux blend named for the caracal or "rooikat" that roams the hills on and above the farm.
The wine, from the 2005 harvest, is the second vintage of this blend to be released since the name change from Laurentius to Caracal to celebrate the return of these shy predators to the estate.

Caracal - the name is derived from the Turkish word "karakulak" meaning "black ears" - has come back to breed on Neethlingshof after the introduction of its programme more than two years ago to conserve and rehabilitate areas of indigenous habitat, particularly the unique ecosystems surrounding the estate's granite hills.

Like the 2004, the 2005 vintage also comprises the three classic Bordeaux blend cultivars Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, but this time winemaker De Wet Viljoen has also added a dash of Malbec which, he says, softens the tannins of the other three.

The Cabernet Sauvignon dominates the blend with 60% followed by the Merlot with 30% and the Cabernet Franc and Malbec with 5% each. "Although adding only 5% each to the blend, the Cabernet Franc and Malbec in my view contribute richly to the balance and structure of the wine," Viljoen says.

Viljoen said 2005 was a good year for reds of the Stellenbosch area. "Initially the weather was very hot, but in the weeks before picking, we experienced a cool spell when the grapes could ripen slowly, developing good acids in the process."

Almost five years old when introduced to the market, the wine still has several years to go before reaching its peak, he believes. "Its fruit character is still quite outspoken while the wine has retained its rich, intense colour. After being vinified separately, the individual wines were aged for 14 to 16 months in new and second-fill barrels for I have found that by then the presence of the oak starts to soften and the wine's fruitiness again comes to the fore.

In this style of wine the components need a long time to meld so we gave more than enough time for the wine to fully integrate in the bottle."

The wine is available in chosen wine shops and retails for about R110 per 750 ml bottle.
 
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