Award Winning Wines
ELYSIUM
The fifth vintage of this unique co-fermented wine is only possible due to the rare occurrence of Merlot and Syrah ripening at the same time on the Holden Manz farm in Franschhoek. The individual varietals were hand-picked by our Cellar Master and then hand-sorted allowing only the most optimally ripe berries to be used for this wine. Three brand-new 225-liter French oak barrels with medium toast were filled with a mix of Merlot and Syrah berries. The barrels were rolled regularly until spontaneous fermentation occurred. Cuvaison took place over approximately 50 days. 24 months matured in new French oak barrels. 1250 Bottles Produced.
MERLOT
2021 harvest was approx. 2 weeks later than normal due to cooler weather throughout the season, which persisted through harvest time and expressed itself with vines of higher acidity. The season produced strong vine growth, good bunch and berry sizes. Dark garnet with a bright red rim. Black cherry dominates with blackberry, subtle cedar, fynbos and wild fig. Full bodied. Black cherries and plum on entry with a complex mid-palate and a mocha finish – very moreish! Soft round tannins with long velvety fruity finish.
Reserve
CABERNET FRANC
A subtly fragrant aromatic wine with mulberries, blackberries and raspberry leaf prevalent on the nose giving way to lavender and spice notes with just a whiff of tarragon on the palate. Enchanting red fruit nose.
Rich and elegant wine with predominant cassis and dark berries with red fruit notes on top. Well balanced savoury flavours with good volume and a mineral aftertaste. Wood is well integrated. Oodles of richness and tension with a long finish. Harvested in the first week of April 2021 compared with 19th to 24th March for the 2020 vintage. A mix of stainless steel tank and barrel fermented using wild yeast before 22 months of maturation in a selection of French oak barrels. Selected bunches from our cabernet franc vineyard were berry sorted before a 5 day cold soak. Berries were transferred to a combination of stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels (60% new) and allowed to ferment slowly using wild yeast at low temperatures. Post fermentation maturation of 41 days. This wine consists of mainly free run juice with some juice from the heart of the press. The wine will continue to develop in bottle over the next 7-10 years. Limited production of 121 x 1.5l magnums and 2913 x 750ml bottles. Bottled 10 May 2023.
SYRAH
Ripe and bold dark fruit, meaty and spicy notes, think Cornas/Hermitage style, smoky, steak tartare, black pepper, rounded tannin, long powerful finish.
Semillon
A 20-year-old patch of Franschhoek grown grapes within sight of Holden Manz produced a yield of around 7 tonnes per hectare. Grapes were manually harvested early in the morning, refrigerated to 5C before undergoing whole bunch press. Following settling and racking 25% was naturally fermented in a mix of first and second fill barrels. The remainder was fermented at 14C in stainless steel tanks. The wine was stirred on fine lees for 8 months prior to bottling on 5 November 2020. Limited production of 2,858 bottles produced.
Reserve
CHARDONNAY
Barrel fermented symphony combines citrus, white blossoms, summer melon, passion fruit and just a touch of well-integrated high-quality French oak in this Meursault style chardonnay. Fermented using indigenous yeast.
Reserve
CHENIN BLANC
A relatively cold and wet winter gave way to late and disorganized flowering. Our vineyard team had to apply plenty of anticipation and thought to deal with the changing and unusual weather which disrupted the regular pattern of activities. A generally cooler vintage has produced wines with exceptional elegance.
BIG G
The 2019/20 growing season was characterized by cooler but windy conditions. The fruit set was negatively impacted by wind damage. The vintage was moderately warm. Bunches and berries were smaller than average but with lots of fruit intensity. The wines from this vintage are developing great depth of flavour.
Cassis, blackberry, graphite, nuances of mulberry and plum backed with hints of cedar wood and pencil shavings.
The individual varieties were handpicked and sorted allowing only the best berries to be used for this wine. Selected blocks in the vineyard are allocated to be used in making the Big G. All grapes fermented wild. Cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot were harvested between 24 March 2020 and 4 April 2020 and co-fermented in open top fermenters. Matured for 24 months in 30% new 225 litre French oak barrels. 10493 x 750ml bottles and 363 x 1500ml magnums. Bottled 30 September 2022.
CHARDONNAY
Barrel fermented symphony combines citrus, white blossoms, summer melon, passion fruit and just a touch of well integrated high quality French oak in this Meursault style chardonnay. Fermented using indigenous yeast.
PROPRIETORS' WHITE BLEND
A stunning blend of 40% Chardonnay, 40% Viognier and 20% Chenin Blanc. A beautifully perfumed nose leads to a full fruit-filled mouthfeel with a long sexy finish.
PROPRIETORS' RED BLEND
Dark ruby red in the centre with a brick red brim. An exceptionally concentrated wine, which initially reveals ripe red fruit, evolving into rich savoury notes, cassis, and spice, brought together by a hint of pencil shavings. A rich palate bursting with red fruit, complemented by hints of white pepper and nutmeg. With its soft, silky texture, this wine boasts an elegantly structured finish that lingers yet still offers enough grip for more ageing.
CHENIN BLANC
Hand-selected bunches from three excellent vineyards in the Stellenbosch/Paarl border area and from the Paardeberg. 100% from bush vines over 40 years old. Harvested during the period 4th to 20th February 2020. Berries cooled to 5oC prior to “Champagne” crush cycle. The clarified juice is transferred by gravity to barrels and tanks for fermentation. Wild yeast fermentation with 20% vinified and matured in a mix of new and second-fill French oak barrels. All the wine was stirred continually on the fine lees. Bottled November 2020.
SYRAH
Beautiful aromas of violets, cloves, star anise, nutmeg and black peppercorns complemented by fresh red berries. Silky smooth entry, showing ripe, soft tannins with beautiful vibrant fruit and spicy flavours. Darker fruits provide a long lingering finish.
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Rich and full palate with complex array of dark fruit. The middle palate is full and shows width with complexity and depth leading to a long, full finish. Fine wood tannins combine with well balanced acidity.
VISIONAIRE
A visionary blend! Spicy Bordeaux style with homage to Hermitage. Cabernet sauvignon and merlot dominate this multi-award winning wine with a supporting cast of cabernet franc, Malbec, petit verdot spiced up with a decent serving of Syrah!
VERNISSAGE
4% Cabernet Franc, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 59% Merlot, 18% Syrah
These grapes were selected from distinct parcels with varying soil types. This complexity in growing has resulted in a wonderful intricacy in the wine. The grapes were picked at optimal ripeness to enable the correct balance between sugar and phenolics.
Individual varieties were bunch and berry sorted, crushed and destalked to tank. Fermentation was initiated after 8 days cold soaking. Minimal additions were made to preserve the true cultivar characteristics of the grapes and to minimize man-made impact on the wine. After careful blending trials and numerous test tastings, the final blend combined a variety of batches each contributing in its own unique way to make this a balanced, expressive and fruit-driven wine. Maturation included 18 months in 3rd fill French oak barrels.
HIRO ROSÉ
Lively full mouth feel with wet stone minerality, sea salt, fresh apricots and Japanese raspberries. A creamy elegant wine with tonnes of finesse, linearity and a lingering finish. A complex wine designed to delight and make a special occasion unique!
The wine is made in true Provençal style. Dry and fruit driven, the wine is made from 86% Grenache and 14% Cinsault. Grapes are hand harvested early morning at around 23 balling. The winemaking process is executed in reductive conditions with the use of dry ice and carbon dioxide gas. Grapes are crushed at 5°C with approximately 3 hours skin contact gained during a light pressing. Two days of juice settling followed by racking before spontaneous fermentation at 14°C for approximately 20 days. The wine is matured on fine lees for an additional 8 months with a regular batônnage before the final blending and bottling. Approximately 20% was fermented in a 2 year old 500 litre Baron French oak barrel and stirred on the lees until filtered. Picked 31 January to 20 February 2023. Bottled 15 November 2024.
ROTHKO ROSÉ
The wine is made in true Provençal style. Dry and fruit-driven, the wine is made from 53% Grenache, 28% Syrah, 19% Cinsault. Whole bunch pressed under dry ice using the Champagne press cycle, average skin contact time is less than 3 hours. This maximises the extraction of fruit flavours while minimizing colour transfer. Picked onvarious dates between 12 and 28 February 2023. Bottled 14 September 2023.
Generous, crisp, full mouth feel. Smooth, creamy elegant wine with tonnes of finesse and a long finish. Muti-layered lingering wine which sparks like a diamond! Early season cherries on the palate with river stone minerality.
GOOD SPORT CAPE VINTAGE
