Stark-Condé Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
R380,00
Stark-Conde considers itself first and foremost a Cabernet producer and this wine is the bedrock of the winery. Generally referred to as the “Estate Blend” as it is made up from four Cabernet blocks along with the two other traditional Bordeaux blending varieties that are grown on the farm.
Blackberry fruit aromas with tea-leaf and cedar notes. The palate is rich and polished with dark fruit and mocha flavours and a finely balanced acidity. Long finish with the fine tannins typical of a Jonkershoek Valley wine.
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Specifications
In the cellar
After being cold-soaked for a couple of days, the juice underwent fermentation with the natural yeasts for about 10 days on the skins. The fermentations were hand punched-down every four hours for the first half of fermentation and every 6-8 hours until dry. at dryness, the wine was pressed and racked to barrel for malo-lactic fermentation and barrel maturation. Only 300l French oak was used, of which about 20% were new. Bottled with no fining and without filtration after 20 months barrel maturation.
In the vineyard
The vineyards fared well in a very interesting season. Warmer temperatures during early harvest produced quality fruit with enhanced aromatics and richness. This will be an excellent cellar-worthy vintage supported by firm tannins and zippy acidity. The grapes for this wine are from four different Cabernet vineyards and our best Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc vineyards, all at a range of different elevations. Although all are o the decomposed granite soils typical of the hillsides in Jonkershoek, the soil textures vary quite a log and that, together with the differences in elevations and clones, gives a variety of different flavour profiles to the grapes. The Malbec and Cabernet Franc grapes were picked in early March, and the Cabernet sauvignon and Petit Verdot grapes were harvested in mid-March.
Ageing
20 months
Cultivar
87% Cabernet Sauvignon; 10% Petit Verdot; 2% Malbec; 1% Cabernet Franc
