Sunday, 23 July, 2017
Michael Olivier Communication
A far cry from the realities of 2017, where the only memory of Echo is in this superb Bordeaux styled blend which is made up of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and the balance Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes come from Steenberg Estate, Darling and Stellenbosch. The grapes were vinified separately. They came from vines which varied from 13 to 25 years in age.
During fermentation, regular pump overs took place to ensure gentle extraction of colour and tannins. After fermentation, the wine was matured in 225 litre French oak barrels, second and third fill for 19 months. The wine was given a light fining and then prepared for bottling.
It looks like
Bottled under screw cap in a Burgundy shaped bottle. In the glass, it is a deep plum red which pales out to garnet at the meniscus.
It smells like
Rich black berries, cherries and plums. There are whiffs of violets, dark chocolate and mint/eucalyptus.
It tastes like
Apart from the black berries, plums, the wine is fully flavoured, sappy, juice making with gentle tannins. Scrunched fynbos herbs, and some spices. Good mid palate running into a long gently waning tail. Special wine. Will age well too for delayed pleasure.
It’s good with
This is a made for food wine. Lovely match to a number of meat dishes, lovely with duck, game birds and venison which is freely available at the moment with any number of our friends going hunting. It would do the traditional Sunday lunch proud, and in the middle the week will be a great partner to Justine Wall’s Bangers and Balsamic Onions. Click here for her recipe.
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