Contantia Glen FIVE 2007

HARVEST

2007 represented an interesting year for Constantia Glen - our first harvest of grapes to be vinified in our custom built 120-ton gravity fed cellar. The weather played along perfectly allowing for a cool and long ripening period. Our viticultural practices are geared to maximise flavour concentration in the tiny berries and with the aid of near-infrared aerial photography to show vineyard vigour, staged phenolic ripeness assessments and exhaustive vineyard tastings we are quite certain that our picking dates were at optimum ripeness levels. Cabernet Franc was the first batch to arrive at the cellar on the 3rd of March and our last batch in was Cabernet Sauvignon on the 4th of April. Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot slotted in seamlessly between these two dates.

COLOUR

A wine of considerable depth of colour. Dark, almost opaque core graduating to a youthful ruby rim. The wine is clear and bright.

NOSE

Black fruits and spicy aromatics fill the first impression. Headily scented cedar wood nuances are offset by lashings of blackcurrant and Morello cherries. The nose shows all the underpinnings of the expressive Bordeaux varieties and invites further exploration. This is a multifaceted wine that shows powerful development after decanting.

PALATE

An exercise in balance. The aromas follow through seamlessly onto the palate and are complemented by polished tannins that lend texture and structure to a wine of immense complexity. This wine is both elegant and refined and exudes class in all aspects - culminating in a sophisticated finish that lingers.

TECHNICAL DATA

32 % Merlot, 27 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 18 % Malbec, 11.5 % Cabernet Franc and 11.5 % Petit Verdot aged in 100 % new French oak (225ℓ) for 13.5 months. Bottled on the 15th of July 2008 after a light egg-white fining and filtration. 6 French coopers used in the maturation – Francois Freres, Seguin Moreau, Demptos, Sylvain Taransaud and Boutes. 20 % of the barrels used were 500ℓ in capacity so as to simulate a 2nd fill component. These barrels have a larger wine volume to wood surface area ratio. 100% of the press wine was used in the blend and has added density and complexity. The wine is balanced, complex and retains the desirable elements of freshness and suppleness. 66 different lots representing 11 fermentation batches in 6 coopers were exhaustively tasted to decide on the composition of the final blend. This wine is dense and has ample extract to allow for superlative ageing potential over the next 10-15 years. Alcohol – 14.1 %, Residual Sugar – 2.5 g/ℓ, Titratable Acidity – 5.3 g/ℓ, pH – 3.78

FOOD PAIRING

Beef fillet roasted over vine coals and served with buttered smoked mashed potatoes – drizzle with torn rocket and rosa tomato vinaigrette. Oven roasted quail dressed with Parma ham and stuffed with star anise couscous – sauced liberally with a red wine and port reduction. Tuna steaks encrusted with sesame seeds grilled to medium rare – served with a hand chopped salsa of tomatoes, toasted sesame oil, basil and flat leaved parsley.

AWARDS

Gold medal at 2009 Tri Nations wine challenge featuring the best wines from SA, Australia and New Zealand.

Best in class at 2009 IWSC, 4½ stars in 2010 John Platter Wine Guide.

Contantia Glen THREE 2007

HARVEST

Winter 2007 was just what the doctor ordered with copious rain and cold from May, early in the season, which boded well for even budding. Continued rain in spring was accompanied by cooler than usual temperatures - the cool soil temperatures delaying start of root growth. Early summer was still cool which delayed growth. Wind on our side of the Peninsula mountain chain was contrasted by high humidity with a few heavy showers in Constantia.

February, usually the hottest month, was very cool; March was much drier and hot and all this resulted in great ripening for our reds grapes with wonderful expression of dark berry aromas and flavours with finely structured tannins.

COLOUR

Dark crimson with a russet rim. A deep and rich colouring with the slightest graduation. Clear and bright.

NOSE

The bouquet offers a refined mineral and subtle oak background that is accentuated with ash, dark chocolate and classic cedar tones. The nose is complex and shows underpinnings of the three expressive Bordeaux varieties with aromas of pencil shavings and blackberries. A deeply complex offering.

PALATE

The mix of sweet black fruits on the nose follows through to the palate and is underpinned by bilberry and red cherry freshness. There is an excellent weight of fruit on the palate that is rich and ripe and echoes an abundance of red fruits giving freshness. The balance between richness and freshness is exceptional and the fruit flavours long with the oak in the background giving just a hint of spice.

TECHNICAL DATA

57 % Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15 % Cabernet Franc aged in 70 % new French Oak for 16 months. Bottled on the 26th of November 2009 after a light egg-white fining and filtration. 4 French coopers used in the maturation – Francois Freres, Seguin Moreau, Taransaud and Boutes. A fresh, modern interpretation of a classic Medoc, it is a wine that will impress in its youth and offer much complexity as it ages over the next 5 -8 years.

Alcohol – 14.44%
Residual Sugar – 2.2 g/ℓ
Titratable Acidity – 5.6 g/ℓ
pH – 3.76

FOOD PAIRING

Venison medallion marinated in olive oil, orange zest, sage, pepper, and juniper berries – pan fried and served with herb buttered potatoes. Rosemary grilled lamb chops prepared rare with cherry tomatoes warmed in a savoury balsamic reduction. Tea smoked duck breast with oven roasted pears and a blackberry jus.