Ernie Els Big Easy Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

The 2014 Big Easy Cabernet Sauvignon shows immediate nuances of red fruits, Chinese spice and a hint of damp earth. The palate is medium-bodied, loaded with succulent raspberries and cherries, sprinkled with dried gojiberries on the finish. Crunchy tannins balance the primary fruit, deftly supported by soft, creamy oak and finishedoff by a pinch of mixed ground pepper. It’s easy-going, delicious and yet refined, reflecting the style of the 2014 Stellenbosch vintage.

variety : Cabernet Sauvignon [ 100% Cabernet Sauvignon ]

winery : Ernie Els Wines

winemaker : Louis Strydom

wine of origin : Western Cape

analysis : alc : 14.30 % vol rs : 3.9 g/l pH : 3.69 ta : 6.0 g/l

type : Red wooded

pack : Bottle size : 750ml closure : Screwcap

ageing : Drink now and over the next 3 - 5 years.

in the vineyard : APPELLATION Western Cape
VINEYARDS Stellenbosch and Coastal vineyard sites

Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from the Helderberg region within the Stellenbosch appellation. Selected pockets of Cabernet Sauvignon were sourced from different coastal regions to compliment the style.

Initial vineyard growth was slow due to late cold fronts experienced during August 2013 followed by cool, wet weather at the start of the growing season leading to relatively high incidence of disease. Mid-November rainfall further hampered effective disease control by creating challenging spraying conditions and limiting access to the vineyards. As a result, downy mildew led to crop losses early on in the season in some of our red wine areas. Thereafter, favourable climatic conditions improved for flowering and good berry set ensued. The high rainfall in mid-November did however spark vigorous growth which required extra input to ensure superior grape quality and disease prevention through good canopy aeration and sunlight exposure. Widespread rainfall during early January increased pressure on viticulturists due to the threat of disease and even further rot. Ideal dry and moderate conditions reigned during ripening in January and mid-February after which a warm period accelerated ripening and resulted in great pressure on harvest intakes. The wine potential looks promising in terms of quality. Moderate weather conditions during the harvest season contributed to intense red wines.

about the harvest: The grapes were hand-picked in the cool of early morning. On the sorting table, all excess stalks and inferior berries were carefully removed.
HARVEST March 2014. 25° Brix average sugar at harvest

in the cellar : Grape bunches were gently destalked with a Bucher de-stalker and lightly crushed. Fermentation took place in 7-ton, open-top stainless steel tanks with yeast WE 372 being added to the juice. The wines were pumped-over and punched-down manually 3 times per day ensuring maximum colour extraction from the skins. After primary fermentation the maceration period was 10 days before pressing. The wine is matured in oak barrels before blending and eventual bottling.

PRODUCTION 5000 x 6 x 750ml cases
SUSTAINABILTY INITIATIVE I.P.W. (Integrated Production of Wine) Certified
COOPERAG Second and third fill French oak barrels

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