De Trafford Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Name: De Trafford Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
Brand: De Trafford
SKU: 35575

Deep, dark red colour. Intense rich, ripe cassis and blackberry nose with lovely spicy, lead pencil and creamy fynbos aromas. Rich, ripe fruit on palate with layers of spice and creamy fynbos. Great intensity with prominent fine tannins that carry the wine to a long finish.

Delicious with most red meat dishes. Butterfly leg of lamb on the braai with wild rosemary a personal favourite.

variety : Cabernet Sauvignon [ 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot ]

winery : De Trafford Wines

winemaker : David Trafford

wine of origin : Stellenbosch

analysis : alc : 15.01 % vol rs : 2.4 g/l pH : 3.86 ta : 5.7 g/l va : 0.88 g/l so2 : 54 mg/l fso2 : 19 mg/l

type : Red style : Dry wooded

pack : Bottle size : 750ml closure : Cork

ageing : Great maturation potential. Drink 2017 to 2025.

in the vineyard :

1st block 17 year old vines on 7 wire vertical trellis. Mix of 6 different clones on 101-14 rootstock. Mont Fleur vineyard. – high altitude mountain slope. Soil deep red Hutton decomposed granite. Yield 3 tons / ha. (18hl/ha)
2nd block 14 year old vines on 5 wire vertical trellis. Clone CS20C on 101.14 rootstock. Neighbouring east facing Keermont vineyard. Soil deep red Hutton decomposed granite. Yield 4,5 tons / ha. (27l/ha)
3rd block 23 year old vines on 4 wire vertical trellis. Clone CS46A on 101-14 rootstock. Soil shallow gravelly red Hutton decomposed granite. On low lying Helderberg mountain site. Yield 4 tons / ha. (24hl/ha)
4th block 8 year old vines on 7 wire vertical trellis. Clone CS169 on 101-14 rootstock. Neighbouring north facing Keermont vineyard. Soil deep red Hutton decomposed granite. Yield 5 ton/ha (30hl/ha)
12% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot incl.
These yields equate to less than 1kg of fruit per vine, arguably the threshold for the production of GREAT wine!

Vintage conditions
We had a late 2010 winter with a little below average rainfall, but cold enough in May to ensure even bud-break in spring. The growing season was cool with some regular rainfall, which made up for the drier winter. Flowering was good and although December was very windy (most in 42 years), we had no damage and a normal healthy crop of very good quality.

about the harvest: The harvest period was very hot and dry, but we managed to get all the grapes to the cellar in the cool mornings at optimum ripeness.
Harvest date: 2 /3 / 11 – 10 / 3 / 11 @ 23.7 – 26.3° Balling.

in the cellar : 100% destemming and crushing by hand directly into 2 ton open top fermentation tanks. Spontaneous natural yeast fermentation @ 30ºC with the cap of skins punched down 2 – 3 times a day for 15 days. Wine drained directly to barrels, together with single pressing from traditional basket press for malolactic fermentation. 40% new French oak was used from high quality coopers. Time in barrels 23 months with several rackings to gradually clarify the wine and assist maturation. Bottled unfiltered by hand on the property.

Bottling date: 26 / 02 / 13
Production: 594 x 12 x 750ml

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