SOUTH AFRICA


de Trafford Cabernet Sauvignon
2004 Cabernet Sauvignon

Viticulture

Vineyard:
Soil Type: Deep red Hutton, gravelly Hutton, raised alluvial stone terrace
Vine Age: 6 - 16 yrs
Irrigation: Lightly irrigated
Harvest Date: 15 / 3 / 04 - 1 / 4 / 04
Yield: 3 - 5.5 tons/ha

Vinification:

100% destemming and crushing by hand directly into 2 ton open top fermentation tanks. Spontaneous natural yeast fermentation @ 30ºC with the cap of skins punched down 2 – 5 times a day for 7 to 18 days. Wine drained directly to barrels together with single pressing from traditional basket press. All wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in the barrel. 35% new French oak and 5% new American oak was used from high quality coopers. Time in barrels 21 months with several rackings to gradually clarify the wine and assist maturation. This wine was bottled unfiltered by hand on the property.

Tasting Notes:

Color: Attractive, deep red colour
Nose: Cassis, fresh red berries, toast and cedar nose.
Palate: Lovely purity of (complex) fruit and firm persistent tannins follow through to a long dry finish. Quite classic in style and similar to 1994, which is drinking particularly well now.
Other: Probably best between 2010 – 2018.
Enjoy with rich, but subtly flavored classic red meat dishes such as roast lamb.

Chemical Analysis:

Alc (%): 14.56
RS (g/l): 1.9
TA (g/l): 5.5
pH: 3.70