Cathedral Cellar Shiraz | 2020
WINE OF ORIGIN:
Western Cape
VINEYARDS:
Swartland, Wellington, Darling, Stellenbosch.
VINTAGE CONDITIONS:
The 2020 vintage was characterized by generally favourable conditions, improved winter rainfall preceding the growing season and generally mild conditions. This resulted in improved crops in particular in the coastal areas or Swartland, Wellington, Paarl and Stellenbosch. The vintage period was lower in disease pressure than the 2019 vintage but some rainfall during vintage did require careful management. The spring period was unusually warm prompting early bud break and accelerated early growth while, the summer through vintage was mild in terms of temperature with fewer peaks or periods of high temperature. This resulted in an early vintage start and a compressed February finishing earlier than in recent years. Wines show great retention of freshness and flavour with good tannin development and aging potential. We are hugely excited about the quality of the 2020 Vintage.
WINEMAKING:
After two days of cold maceration, which enhances colour and fruit flavours, the juice was inoculated with a combination of specially selected yeast strains. Alcoholic fermentation lasted approximately seven days. During this time, each tank was subjected to a meticulous pump-over schedule. Only after numerous tastings by the winemaking team to ensure the achievement of perfect balance and structure, was the wine pressed off the skins. The wine was racked to barrel where it underwent malolactic fermentation. It was then racked from the lees and returned to barrel for further maturation. After 18 months in barrel, only the best components were selected by our winemaking team to go into this vintage Cathedral Cellar Shiraz.
WINE DESCRIPTION:
BOUQUET
A complex combination of white pepper, cigar box and a concentration of dark fruit, supported by subtle spicy undertones.
PALATE
The complexity on the nose flows over to the palate. The wine is big and round on entry with silky smooth tannins that show well. Nice fruit on the back palate combined with a well-balanced acidity is responsible for a lingering finish and rounds off a perfectly balanced wine.
MATURATION:
The wine spent 18 months in barrel. A 35% portion of the blend was aged in new barrels and the remainder, in second and third-fill barrels. The wood utilised in the making of the wine comprised 95% French and 5% American oak.
SERVING SUGGESTION:
Serve this wine with roast lamb, char-grilled meats,
wild game dishes or any other richly flavoured meat dishes; or, enjoy it on its
own.
CELLARING POTENTIAL:
Savour now or cellar for up to six years from vintage.
WINE ANALYSIS:
Alcohol: 14.91 % v/v
pH: 3.35
Total acidity: 6.57 g/l
Residual sugar: 3.2 g/l
Cathedral Cellar Shiraz | 2020
WINE OF ORIGIN:
Western Cape
VINEYARDS:
Swartland, Wellington, Darling, Stellenbosch.
VINTAGE CONDITIONS:
The 2020 vintage was characterized by generally favourable conditions, improved winter rainfall preceding the growing season and generally mild conditions. This resulted in improved crops in particular in the coastal areas or Swartland, Wellington, Paarl and Stellenbosch. The vintage period was lower in disease pressure than the 2019 vintage but some rainfall during vintage did require careful management. The spring period was unusually warm prompting early bud break and accelerated early growth while, the summer through vintage was mild in terms of temperature with fewer peaks or periods of high temperature. This resulted in an early vintage start and a compressed February finishing earlier than in recent years. Wines show great retention of freshness and flavour with good tannin development and aging potential. We are hugely excited about the quality of the 2020 Vintage.
WINEMAKING:
After two days of cold maceration, which enhances colour and fruit flavours, the juice was inoculated with a combination of specially selected yeast strains. Alcoholic fermentation lasted approximately seven days. During this time, each tank was subjected to a meticulous pump-over schedule. Only after numerous tastings by the winemaking team to ensure the achievement of perfect balance and structure, was the wine pressed off the skins. The wine was racked to barrel where it underwent malolactic fermentation. It was then racked from the lees and returned to barrel for further maturation. After 18 months in barrel, only the best components were selected by our winemaking team to go into this vintage Cathedral Cellar Shiraz.
WINE DESCRIPTION:
BOUQUET
A complex combination of white pepper, cigar box and a concentration of dark fruit, supported by subtle spicy undertones.
PALATE
The complexity on the nose flows over to the palate. The wine is big and round on entry with silky smooth tannins that show well. Nice fruit on the back palate combined with a well-balanced acidity is responsible for a lingering finish and rounds off a perfectly balanced wine.
MATURATION:
The wine spent 18 months in barrel. A 35% portion of the blend was aged in new barrels and the remainder, in second and third-fill barrels. The wood utilised in the making of the wine comprised 95% French and 5% American oak.
SERVING SUGGESTION:
Serve this wine with roast lamb, char-grilled meats,
wild game dishes or any other richly flavoured meat dishes; or, enjoy it on its
own.
CELLARING POTENTIAL:
Savour now or cellar for up to six years from vintage.
WINE ANALYSIS:
Alcohol: 14.91 % v/v
pH: 3.35
Total acidity: 6.57 g/l
Residual sugar: 3.2 g/l