Oldenburg Vineyards, CL Red 2022

Description

CL is the Lifestyle range in the Oldenburg Vineyards stable. For us, the CL range represents a key part of the Oldenburg Vineyards story: that we are cooler than Stellenbosch (in terms of climate).
There are 8 Natural Elements that make our corner of the Banghoek Valley a special place to make wine, and three of these elements (the mountain ranges, the elevation and the winds) influence the coolness of our valley. This cooler climate elevates the quality of our grapes and wine significantly, through slower and more even ripening. Cooler climate, cooler wines.

WINEMAKING / MATURATION
The Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes were harvested from a North-Easterly facing vineyard on Rondekop. All grapes were stored in a cold-room overnight and then destemmed and sorted by hand, spending five days in a tank to cold soak. The Cabernet Franc and Merlot berries were kept whole before fermentation. All grape cultivars underwent pump overs 1-3 times per day and were gently basket pressed once dry. Finally, the juice was returned to tanks for malolactic conversion and then transferred to French oak barrels, of which 18% were new barrels, to mature for 18 months.

TASTING NOTES
This wine features a slightly dusty nose with aromas of passionfruit seed, redand green peppers, paprika, and graphite. On the palate, it offers dense black and red fruits like mulberry and bramble, complemented by generous spices such as thyme, rosemary, and tomato leaf. It has a lively mouthfeel with a generous acidity and tannins that are present but not overwhelming, promising to develop further with time. A delightful wine that is bound to be a conversation starter and should be a staple with food.

VINTAGE CONDITIONS
Stellenbosch, in general, played host to a perfect winter, with steady cold units being accumulated through to the end of August with even rainfall throughout the winter. The good winter cold led to a particularly even bud break. Spring was cool and dry, which favoured the flowering and fruit set for the vintage. Good summer rainfall meant the vigour needed to be kept in check. Despite a relatively hot and dry ripening period, temperatures were kept moderate due to our higher altitude and ultimately led to an exceptionally good harvest with great sugar accumulation.

COMPOSITION: 73% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc
HARVEST: 1 March – 21 March 2022
TECHNICAL DATA: ALC 14% | RS 2.8g/L | TA 5.5g/L | pH 3.69
MATURATION: 18 months in 225L (18% New)
PRODUCTION: 2890 of 6 Cases

Additional information

Beef fillet topped with a fresh chimichurri will be a match made in heaven for this wine!