Grapes for our Franschhoek Cabernet Sauvignon are picked from two negociant vineyards planted adjacent to one another rooted in deep alluvial soils in the valley. Fruit from our own vineyards grow on slopes of decomposed granitic soils- a hallmark of the Bo-hoek district where Boekenhoutskloof is located. These home farm vineyards of Cabernet Sauvignon and small portion of Cabernet Franc, have been organically farmed for the past 14 years and produce exceptional quality fruit with each new vintage.

The winter conditions were generally favourable, leading to a cool growing season that resulted in small clusters and a tight berry set. Some rainfall during the growing period required careful vineyard management to address disease pressure, particularly in the valley and on the Boekenhoutskloof farm, where our organic practices added further intricacy.
A prolonged heatwave in January caused significant stress to the vineyards, making berry selection in the winery essential. One of the key benefits of this careful selection was the excellent skin-to-juice ratio for both Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc resulting in a balanced and expressive wine.

We vinify gently to avoid huge, monstrous wines. Grapes were picked by hand into small lug boxes and then bunch sorted with berry selection and careful de-stemming. The grapes underwent a cold maceration in tulip-shaped concrete vessels, and fermentation took place at temperatures between 27° and 30°C, with frequent pump-overs to extract aromas, colour and tannins. After spontaneous alcoholic fermentation, a prolonged malolactic fermentation occurred naturally in 225-litre barriques. The wine was matured on our OXOline system for 22 months in 95% new light toast, long seasoned French oak from our preferred coopers, Sylvain and Saury.

The nose is shy, dark and dusty at first, yet very complex with its classic aromas of brooding blueberries, blackberries and whiffs of pencil shavings and Herbes de Provence. The berry fruit and garrigue character on the nose follow through onto a juicy, balanced mid-palate with flavours of figs, black liquorice and some spicy nuances from a classic French oaking regime. A lemony acidity adds freshness to the mid-palate. Plums, dark chocolate and hints of oregano, cedar and thyme linger on a spicy finish.