Riebeeksrivier
Southern Slopes
Riebeeksrivier Southern Slopes 2019
The bouquet offers up shy plum and black fruit with a trace of roasting coffee beans. The palate is taut, controlled and appears leashed, ready to reveal its true range of flavours: spicy plum and blackcurrant notes brushed with a touch of fynbos.There is a good platform of oak which will meld ever more agreeably with the rich fruit notes over time.The finish is long and succulent and reveals an interesting saline nuance
Riebeeksrivier Southern Slopes 2018
Inky intrigue to a somewhat subdued nose of shy black plum and spice – with a hint of fynbos in the backdrop. Plush entry to the mouth, rounded and appealing with ample juicy black plum notes. Those rich flavours are tempered by a pleasant spicy cedar grip. Structured, textured, but still taut and leashed, the wine is like the 2019, still somewhat tightly furled. It finishes with good length and an intriguing saline element.
Accolades: 92 Points – Tim Atkin MW,
Riebeeksrivier Southern Slopes 2017
Ample plum and baked red stone fruit with a subtle hint of meat and smoke on the nose. The textured palate is supple, lithe and pliable with a melange of plum and black fruits livened by a vibrant spicy pepperiness.The oak is well knit and seamless, contributing structure and body with its fine, dry tannin but a good line of acid adds freshness. Smooth, ripe, confident and refined with a long tail.
Accolades: 93 Points – Tim Atkin MW, 92 Points – Platter’s SA, 90 Points – Vinous Media: Neal Martin
Riebeeksrivier Southern Slopes 2016
Lovely interplay of ripe black cherry and dried lavender scents. Gently appealing and opulent with faint herbal notes .Supple, fluid and generous in the mouth, flavours of cherry, plum, soft Agen prunes are punctuated by an adroit sprinkling of spice and cracked pepper. Textured, restrained and lithe, the oak is beautifully integrated, providing a platform for the elegant fruit. A seamless and cohesive finish is drawn out with a delightful cocoa undertone.
Riebeeksrivier Southern Slopes 2015
This wine shows an appealing savoury nose with understated Biltong, Fynbos, spice and a subtle Lavender nuance. It has a succulent and juicy entry to the mouth with abundant plum and raspberry fruit flavour. Bright, light, tensile and lithe with warm spice notes of cinnamon and touch of cedar. Layered with balanced interplay of fruit and well-meshed oak. Self-contained, elegant and smooth textured, the lengthy wine finishes dry with a spicy tail.
Riebeeksrivier Southern Slopes 2014
Appealing spicy dark fruit: black cherry with cedar and a hint of tobacco. Tangy and fresh on entry. Ripe black fruit with light peppery spice notes. The textured palate is rounded and silkily smooth with multiple layers of flavour and a well-defined backbone. Good integration of oak and fruit with fine, dry tannins and an intriguing light licorice/saline element on the long tail. Bold, enticing ripe blackberry and plum aroma. Gentle, soft-fruited entry to the mouth. The juicy blackberry- and plum flavours are immediately apparent — along with a subtle tinge of spice. Rounded, fleshy and voluptuous texture with a light squeeze of tannin. Structured but pliable and generous with a rewardingly long, velvet tail.
Riebeeksrivier Southern Slopes 2013
Appealing ripe black plum, spice and tobacco leaf notes on the nose. Succulent red and black berry fruit vibrance in the mouth, along with spicy tobacco and turned earth notes. Deep and plush, yet structured with a defined oak backbone. Rich, velvety texture with a long, smoothly rewarding finish.
Winemaking
All of the blocks and components of the Cape of Good Hope Southern Slopes blend are hand-picked and handled separately. Components are fermented in a combination of stainless steel tanks and Italian cement tanks (Nico Velo tanks) after being sorted by an optical sorting machine. These various fermentation vessels add dimension to the wine and emphasise the distinct characteristics of each block. The wine spent 16 to 18 months in 4th and 5th fill French oak barrels and stainless steel tanks.
Vintage Notes
As a result of the drought that occurred before, the South African vintage of 2019 reached an all-time low. This vintage is
expected to produce wines of high quality, despite the fact that the crop was smaller than usual. When the berries are smaller, it is possible to achieve a good concentration of flavour as well as a balance between the acidity and sugar levels. All of these factors contribute to the quality that is expected for the 2019 vintage.
Origin of Fruit
Swartland
Winemaking
Grapes are handpicked in lug boxes and transported to the cellar in cold trucks. All the grapes are sorted and fermented in different fermentation vessels. Picking each vineyard block separately allows for different dimensions in the final wine which can be incorporated in the final blend. Wine was aged in a combination of 4th and 5th fill French oak barrels and Nico Vello cement tanks for 16 to 18 months. The blend and cultivar percentage will differ with each vintage, seeing that no vintage is the same.
Vintage Notes
Harvest yield was slightly higher than initially expected even though 2017 was the second consecutive dry and hot year. Cooler nights during the growing season and the absence of heatwaves in February ensured more even ripening and helped to buffer against the drought. The dry conditions resulted in healthy vineyards with smaller berries giving us good colour and flavour concentration.
Origin of Fruit
Riebeeksrivier
Winemaking
All vineyard blocks and components that goes into Cape of Good Hope Southern Slopes are picked and handled separately. The cultivar percentage will change each year, as each vintage is different and will contribute various characteristics and flavours from all the components. A variety of fermentation vessels were used to give more dimension to the wine and emphasise the unique aspects of each vineyard block. The Wine was first aged in 4th and 5th fill French oak barrels and Stainless steel tanks for 16 to 18 months, before being further bottle matured for 12 months.
Vintage Notes
With lower rainfall bringing challenging conditions, the total wine grape production was lower than 2015. Even with drier weather conditions, the vineyards were healthy and produced smaller berries with high flavour concentration and good colour. 2016 May not be as upfront as the renowned 2015 vintage, but be sure to give it some time, for the depth and subtle structure indicates great potential development and a very promising wine.
Origin of Fruit
Riebeeksrivier
Winemaking
These grapes originate from our Riebeeksrivier farm and all vineyard blocks are kept apart, processed and fermented separately. Fermentation took place in a combination of Italian concrete and stainless steel tanks. The different fermentation vessels ensures more dimensions to the wine as well as enhancing the unique characteristics of each block. After fermentation, the wine was aged in 4th and 5th fill French oak barrels and Stainless steel tanks for 16 to 18 months. With each vintage, the blend, or cultivar percentages may change, as no vintage is ever the same and the winemaker will thus vary the blending components to achieve a consistent style in the wine.
Vintage Notes
2015 is widely regarded as one of the best vintages in decades in South Africa, and for some, the best in their careers thus far. Crop yields in this year were lower than the norm, and harvest also commenced earlier than usual. These factors were undoubtedly due to the drought conditions experienced at that time which caused a crop of smaller berries but with even ripening and good colour. The grapes also showed intense flavours, which all bode well for an exceptional vintage pertaining to the quality of the wines.
Origin of Fruit
Riebeeksrivier (Swartland)
Winemaking
This wine is a blend which consists mostly out of Shiraz, and other varietals from this slope includes Mourvedre and Petit Syrah (Durif). These vineyards produce a small bunch with concentrated flavours and delicate ,yet firm structure. These grapes are hand- sorted and fermented, they are barrel aged in 2nd and 3rd fill 225L barrels for 12 — 14 months. Then bottle-aged for 3 years.
Origin of Fruit
Riebeeksrivier (Swartland)
Winemaking
This wine is a 100% Shiraz. Other varietals from this slope includes Mourvedre and Petit Syrah (Durif). These vineyards produce a small bunch with concentrated flavours and delicate, yet firm structure. It is hand- sorted and fermented, and barrel-aged in 2nd and 3rd fill 225L barrels for 12 — 14 months. After this it was bottle-aged for 3 years.
Origin of Fruit
Riebeeksrivier (Swartland)
Altima
Sauvignon Blanc
Appealing aromas of granadilla and grapefruit zest with a tinge of peach blossom.
Serruria
Chardonnay
Subtle whiffs of orange blossom, lime zest, vanilla cream and a light biscuit note.
Riebeeksrivier
Caroline
Delicate orange blossom oral notes overlay more distinctive creamy citrus peel on the nose.
Van Lill
Chenin Blanc
Enticing stone fruit aromas - nectarine and peach with a tinge of honeyed almonds.
Riebeeksrivier
Chenin Blanc
Complex nose with apricot and nectarine brushed by a dusty gravel element and just a hint of floral perfume
Laing
Groendruif (Semillon)
Bright citrus aromas of lime and lemon underpin nectarine abundance.
Parel Vallei Farmstead
Merlot
Attractive cherry fruitcake and black berry aromas tinged with a faint hint of choc mint.
Riebeeksrivier
Syrah
Aromatics of Fynbos with herbaceous whiffs, extending to plum and dark fruit characteristics on the nose. Hints of lavender are evident too.
Riebeeksrivier
Southern Slopes
Appealing spicy dark fruit: black cherry with cedar and a hint of tobacco.
Riebeeksrivier
Western Slopes
Appealing aromas of spicy fruitcake, black cherry, blackcurrant and cedar.
Basson
Pinotage
Bold raspberry and youngberry aromas which mingle with a deeper leather nuance.
Sneeuwkrans
Pinot Noir
Delicate hints of rose petal with bright red berries and persistent palate.