Award Winning
Alto Estate Red Blend 2023
R480,00
The Estate Blend 2023 is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Shiraz, and 10% Cabernet Franc. This wine features tones of fynbos, pencil shavings and a slightly salty, maritime presence with hints of black currant. The Estate Blend is a beautiful representation of the 3 main varieties on our Estate.
Colour: Deep, inky-dark burgundy.
Bouquet: A perfumed vintage with floral notes, tobacco leaf and hints of cinnamon and minerality.
Taste: The palate evolves into a mélange of juicy blackcurrant, plum and cherries with radiant, finely etched tannins. The structure is complex with rich, velvety dried fig and earthy undertones with a long finish of ripe cherries. Refined, mouthwatering and built to age.
Reviews
More Information
Specifications
In the cellar
The 3 grape varieties used in this blend ripen at different times and were harvested at 24,5° to 25° Balling. Each varietal was vinified separately and fermented on the skins for 7 to 16 days at 24° to 26°C in closed stainless-steel tanks. The fermenting mash was pumped over several times a day. Malolactic fermentation took place in barrel, racked once and matured for 18 months in 70% new French oak barrels.
In the vineyard
The winter of 2022 brought consistent rainfall and a cold spell, creating ideal conditions for vine dormancy. The mild 2023 summer, free from extreme heat waves, allowed for slow ripening, resulting in excellent tannin maturity and enhanced fruit flavour development.
This wine is made from grapes of north-facing vines, between 14 and 20 years old, that grow in decomposed granite soil situated at altitudes of 135m to 500m above sea level. The vines on the higher slopes are fanned by the cooling maritime breezes from nearby False Bay. A seven-wire Perold trellising system is used, which yielded an average of 7 tons per hectare.
Ageing
18 months
Cultivar
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Shiraz, and 10% Cabernet Franc
Food Pairing
Delicious with slow roasted lamb shoulder or beef short ribs braised in red wine. A great accompaniment to mushroom risotto or Spanish style dishes with Chorizo.
Awards and Recognition
- Platter’s 5 star
- Platter’s Red Blend Wine of the year
- Veritas Gold
- Wine mag 93 points
