The nose initially shows a savory aroma reminiscent of heirloom tomato relish. This is followed by hues of aniseed and dried porcini mushrooms along with some sour cherry, rooibos tea leaf, rose petal and bran. The wine displays the natural tart acidity and grippy tannins of Nebbiolo on the palate, although with a well-rounded and lighter mouth-feel than can sometimes be the case with this varietal. The bright, fresh palate eases off to reveal a classic Nebbiolo varietal character: Sour cherry, raspberry and tobacco leaf linger to give the wine brilliant length and persistence.
The grapes were harvested at a sugar level of 24°B and then crushed into stainless steel fermentation tanks where they fermented at 27°C for approximately 15 days. The juice was inoculated with a yeast strain selected for the development of the natural characters in the Nebbiolo grape. Two pump-overs were done per day to extract color and tannin. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in barrel and thereafter matured in 500L barrels in 30% first fill and the balance third fill French oak barrels for 24 months. Bottled in July 2020.
Winemaker: JD Pretorius
Winemaker: JD Pretorius
Steenberg holds the distinction of being the oldest farm in the picturesque Constantia Valley, which is generally considered to be South Africa’s premier wine growing region. With its cool, sea-facing slopes and majestic granite ridges, this vineyard has developed a worldwide reputation for producing excellent Cape wines. The estate boasts a state of the art modern winery, producing some of the country’s finest award winning wines.
