Concentrated red and dark fruit, with warm earthy aromatics, can be found in this Stellenbosch Shiraz, accompanied by plum fruit and subtle leathery spice undertones. The 2016 vintage produced a lovely, soft, and velvety-textured Shiraz, with a small addition of Mourvèdre to add a little tension to the finish.

This vintage is named after Robert Charles, the eldest son of Kevin and Heather Arnold.

The grapes are sourced from vineyards in the Stellenbosch region. However, from the 2007 vintage onward, almost all of the fruit has come from Waterford Estate. With an average vineyard age of 20 years, these are well-established vines.

This vintage will be remembered for its drought and heat. Fortunately, Waterford’s location on the Helderberg Mountain and its close proximity to the ocean allowed the vineyards to cool down overnight. The lack of water during the ripening season resulted in lighter bunches with smaller berries, giving the wines excellent color and flavor.

Winemaker: Mark le Roux

Waterford Estate was established in 1998 with the intention of producing the very best wines in the country. Being based on the Helderberg Mountain, in Stellenbosch, the Estate excels in producing Red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, the main two blending components in their Flagship The Jem. They chose to use only half of the total 120 hectares of their land for the planting of vines in order to preserve and protect the natural fauna and flora. The Waterford Way is a philosophy that celebrates prosperity, life, food, wine, family and friends, and guides all that they do at Waterford Estate.

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