The nose opens with aromas of blackcurrant, plum, blackberry and subtle notes of violet, dark chocolate, and a touch of spice. The oak influence is present but well-integrated, adding warm layers of cedar, and a slight smokiness. Full-bodied, yet elegant and mature. This is a fruit- dominated wine with blackberries, cassis, white chocolate followed by some cigar box and light pencil shavings. Subtle tannins linger with sweet red berry fruit on the finish.
The grapes were hand-harvested from various vineyards at between 24.5° and 25.7° Balling. The grapes were destemmed, then sorted and pumped into stainless steel tanks. The grapes were fermented at 24 °C. The juice was pumped over the skins twice daily to extract color, tannins and flavor. On several occasions the juice was emptied from the tanks and then pumped back over the skins of the same tank (rack and return).
Once fermentation was completed, the wine was left on the skins for a further 4-6 days to macerate. The wine was racked off the skins and malolactic fermentation was completed in barrel, partially in barrels and in tanks. The wine was then racked and transferred to 300 litre French oak barrels (New, 2nd fill and 3rd fill) to mature for 16 to 22 months.
Winemaker: Fred Fismer
Once fermentation was completed, the wine was left on the skins for a further 4-6 days to macerate. The wine was racked off the skins and malolactic fermentation was completed in barrel, partially in barrels and in tanks. The wine was then racked and transferred to 300 litre French oak barrels (New, 2nd fill and 3rd fill) to mature for 16 to 22 months.
Winemaker: Fred Fismer
Plaisir Wine Estate which means "The Pleasure of the Blackbird" is one of the largest wine farms in the Western Cape at 974 hectares with some 400 hectares under vine. The remaining hectares are largely untouched to preserve the indigenous flora and fauna. The diverse terroir of the area is characterised by an interplay of climatic conditions, the slopes have well-drained granite weathered soils making it the perfect environment for exceptional grapes to thrive.
