Bouchard Finlayson, Hannibal 2018

Description

GRAPE VARIETIES

42% Sangiovese; 17% Nebbiolo; 15% Pinot Noir; 12% Shiraz; 7% Mourvedre; 7% Barbera

TASTING NOTES

Supple dried cherry, blackberry and savoury meat burst underpinned by a tobacco and green olive core. An appealing mid-palate grip is counter-balanced by refreshing acidity – hinting that patience will be greatly rewarded. Complex and long.

Drink now through 2028.

VINTAGE

Vintage 2018 commenced on the 8th February. Fruit quality proved to be excel- lent and cropping levels were encouraging, this in spite of drought conditions being the talk of the day. Fortunately, our Hemel-en-Aarde region is blessed with a distinctive micro-climate which defied the predictors of poor expectations. The few rain showers received during the vintage was a positive experience and added to the calibre of the vintage.

VINIFICATION

Hand-picked bunches are pressed without crushing and settled overnight, before being transferred to French oak barrels for fermentation. A third new oak was employed, including some 350L barrels to complement the traditional 228L barrels. 10% of the bottling was fermented in Terra Cotta Amphora, which afford- ed the winemaking team an opportunity to fine-tune the volume of tension. Apart from 9 months in oak, elevage was completed by a 2 month resting period in tank, prior to bottling in January 2019.

Additional information

Hannibal is a hugely versatile match for a range of dishes, but it works especially well with Indian and other spicy cuisine. Pair it with a Cape Vegetable Biryani, Mauritian seafood Vindaye or simply goats milk cheese served on brioche toast.