'Lady May' Red Blend, 2018

Lady May is Glenelly’s flagship estate wine. It pays tribute to the pedigree of its legendary owner, May de Lencquesaing. Crafted from the best Bordeaux components of 2018, it reveals rich dark berry aromas with hints of mocha and cedar on the nose.

The grapes were hand-picked and lightly crushed into stainless steel tanks. Fermentation occurred naturally and extraction was carefully managed by doing a maximum of 2 pump-overs per day. After fermentation, the wine was left on the skins for an additional 2-3 weeks. Matured for a total of 24 months in French oak barrels. The first 12 months as individual components in 30% 1st fill barrels and then, after blending, taken back to 70% 1st fill barrels for an additional 12 months. 

Winemaker: Luke O’Cuinneagain

The Glenelly Estate is in the Idas Valley, located in Stellenbosch, on the southern slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain. This estate of 128 hectares formerly devoted to fruit production had, thanks to its terroir, a vocation for wine producing, which has been a specialty of this region since the seventeenth century. An exhaustive study of soil and weather conditions lead to the planting of 60 hectares of red varieties, 6 hectares of white and 5 hectares of olive trees.

Central to this impressive circle of mountains, vineyards and olive groves, lies the Manor House in the Cape Dutch style, white walls and thatched roof, surrounded by newly renovated farm buildings and beautiful gardens. Four lakes provide water supply whilst the flora and fauna add to the beauty of this site. The year 2009 saw the inauguration of the winery: 6,000 m² anchored in the mountains on 4 floors functioning by gravity flow. This very modern structure was designed as an excellent environmentally friendly working tool