Carménère 2022 - W.O. Wellington

TASTING NOTES

Dark dense colouring. The wine shows a fullness of ripe red figs, and ripe black currant berries fused with sweet vanilla pods. The palate entrance is soft and flows to a fresh lime feel that cuts through a dense mid-palate. The inviting dark chocolate flavours, ripe plums, and red figs flavours are supported by the depth of the palate. A beautiful balance of ripe smooth tannins, and ripe berry fruit with well-integrated oak that lingers with a lime-fresh aspect.

WINEMAKING NOTES

The Carménère fruit was berry sorted to ensure all the fruit were in perfect condition before the fermentation was initiated. As we have limited fruit and therefore limited blending options, spontaneous fermentation was decided on to add to the palate feel of the final wine. The fermented juice was drawn off twice a day and then slowly percolated over the skins to minimize the extraction of greener herby aromas and flavours.  This action also adds oxygen to stabilize colour and help soften the tannin structure. During the last phase of fermentation, we inoculate with a cultivated yeast culture- again adding another dimension to the wine. The wine was matured in 40% new French oak and 60% older oak for 15 months before bottling.

VINEYARD NOTES

The Carménère 2022 fruit is grown in the Wellington wine region from a single vineyard block consisting of only 8 rows. Making the production year-on-year very limited in volume. Carménère as a variety can easily show herbal characters, for this reason, we opted to really open the canopy to allow sunlight into the fruit zone. The right amount of sunlight onto the bunches supports the development of berry fruit aromas while diminishing unwanted ones. All 8 rows were hand-picked at optimal ripeness levels and transported in 20 kg boxes to ensure the fruit reaches the cellar in an optimum condition.

FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTION

The fullness and dense expression on the nose and palate of the Carménère make this wine an ideal partner to a beautifully rack of lamb served with a medley of oven baked seasonal veggies. 

AGEING POTENTIAL

The Carménère has all the attributes required for long-term ageing. Colour, soft and ripe tannin structure, depth of fruit, and just enough acidity to carry all the components comfortably through time.

Our first vintage was 2017 - this wine is still drinking beautifully. Demonstrating the age-ability of this remarkable wine. 

Carménère was the sixth varietal allowed under the appellation rules of Bordeaux. It was widely planted in the Medoc region in the 19th century and regarded as a mainstay of claret. In South Africa, there are only 3 red wines produced and bottled as Carménère. The vineyard block allocated to Carmen Stevens Wines, consists of merely 8 rows. We thus produce limited bottled quantities.

TECHNICAL ANALYSIS

Alc: 13.0%
pH: 3.65
TA: 5.3 g/l
RS: 2.5 g/l