The Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 is, true to Eikendal’s signature style, sophisticated and full-bodied. Whiffs of ripe berries, dark chocolate, spices and pencil shavings greet you on the nose. On the palate, silky tannins await, complemented by a fruitiness and delicate oak flavours with a
lingering aftertaste.
Cultivar: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyards: The Stellenbosch vineyards were planted in 2004 in “Koffieklip” (“Coffee Stone”) soil with a clay layer 1m deep on the lower, western slopes of the Helderberg. With a maritime microclimate, the winters are wet and cold, and in summer the heat is tempered by a cool and fresh breeze from the Atlantic Ocean in False Bay. Vitification: The vineyards (Cabernet Sauvignon Clones 163 and 46) were planted in an east-west row direction. The planting is 1.2m x 2.4m in vertical shoot positioning with spur pruning. The canopy height is approximately 1.4m with vines approximately 40cm off the ground. Irrigation is restricted in order to produce grapes with concentrated characteristics of this special variety. Sugar loading, berry aromatic sequence, PH and TA are used to determine phenolic ripeness and picking dates. Vinification: The grapes were hand-picked into 18kg lug boxes to prevent crushing and to lower risk of contamination. The grapes was destemmed, hand-sorted and gently transferred to tank by conveyer not to extract harsh tannins. Cold soaking started, followed by spontaneous fermentation, after which it is inoculated with pure yeast to assure clean fermentation and create pure aromas and taste. 3 – 4 pumpovers per day combined with punch downs and oxygen sparge. After fermentation we add some structure to the wine with 2 weeks of extended maceration, followed with a gentle press to recover 650L per ton. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in a tank and then racked to barrels for aging. The wine was then aged for 18 months in 300ℓ oak barrels, 15% new oak used.