Anthonij Rupert Wyne, Optima

Wine Type: Red

Grape(s): 34% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot

Country: South Africa

Region: Franschhoek, Western Cape

Organic: Practising Organic

Vegan: Yes

ABV: 14.5%

Tasting Notes:  Complex bouquet of fruitcake, cedar, cocoa and a perfumed whiff of dried lavender. Broad, fleshy and succulent with all of that the nose promises being delivered on the palate. Spice sprinkled cedar with rich dark fruitcake flavour. Wonderfully soft, rounded and silky palate that shows cohesion and refinement. Impressive density and concentration that doesn’t overwhelm. Nor does the oak used in the maturation of this impressive blend.

Winemaking: Grapes are hand-picked, placed in small lug boxes, and then transported to the cellar in a refrigerated truck. The whole berries are double-sorted in the cellar using an optical sorting machine to ensure that only the best quality grapes are used. The must was fermented dry on the skins and then macerated for an extended period of time after fermentation. This results in a deep colour and a good tannin structure. Fermentation took place in a combination of French oak and stainless steel tanks followed by malolactic fermentation barrel. Each component was matured separately in 225L French oak barrels for 20 months, with 30% of the barrels being new oak.