Ernie Els: The Wines

SIGNATURE

Type: Red

Grape varieties used: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlotc, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, 5% Malbec

Appellation: Stellenbosch

Alcohol: 14.7%

Winemaking: Fermentation takes place in 7-ton, open-top stainless-steel tanks. The wines are pumped over and punched down manually five times a day ensuring maximum color extraction from the skins. After primary fermentation, the maceration period is 10-16 days before pressing. Each variety is matured separately in oak barrels for 20 months in 300-liter French oak barrels (70% new) before blending and eventual bottling.

PROPRIETOR’S BLEND

Type: Red

Grape varieties used: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Shiraz, 5% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, 5% Malbec

Appellation: Stellenbosch

Alcohol: 14.5%

Winemaking: Fermentation takes place in 7-ton, open-top stainless-steel tanks. The wines are pumped over and punched down manually five times a day, ensuring maximum color extraction from the skins. After primary fermentation, the maceration period is 10-16 days before pressing. Each variety is matured separately in oak barrels for 18 months in 70% 300-liter French oak barrels (70%) and 30% 300-liter American oak barrels before blending and eventual bottling.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Type: Red

Grape varieties used: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Appellation: Stellenbosch

Alcohol: 14.5%

Winemaking: The grapes are hand-picked in the cool of early morning. On the sorting table, all excess stalks and inferior berries are carefully removed. Grape bunches are gently destalked with a Butcher destalker and lightly crushed. Fermentation takes place in 7-ton, open-top stainless steel tanks with yeast being added to the juice. The wines are pumped-over and punched-down manually fives times a day, ensuring maximum color extraction from the skins. After primary fermentation the maceration period is 10-16 days before pressing. The wine is aged for 17 months in 300-liter French oak barrels (20% new) before bottling.

MERLOT

Type: Red

Grape varieties used: 100% Merlot

Appellation: Stellenbosch

Alcohol: 14.5%

Winemaking: Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks. After primary fermentation the maceration period is 10-16 days before pressing. The wine is aged for 15 months in 300-liter French oak barrels (30% new).

BIG EASY RED

As the name suggests, the Big Easy is bold in flavor yet easy in demeanor.

Type: Red

Grape varieties used: 61% Shiraz, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Grenache, 4% Cinsault, 4% Mouvedre, 4% Viognier

Appellation: Western Cape

Alcohol: 14.5%

Winemaking: Fermentation takes place in 7-ton, open-top stainless-steel tanks. The wines are pumped over and punched down manually five times a day, ensuring maximum color extraction from the skins. After primary fermentation, the maceration period is 10-16 days before pressing. Each variety is matured separately in oak barrels for 14 months – 80% in 300-liter French oak barrels and 20% in 300-liter American oak barrels – before blending and eventual bottling.

BIG EASY WHITE

For the white counterpart to the Big Easy Red, the South African classic Chenin Blanc is the grape of choice, harvested from individually selected, low-yielding bush and trellised vines from three appellations – Stellenbosch, Durbanville and Perdeberg – each lending its own unique flavor profile to the final blend.

Type: White

Grape varieties used: 100% Chenin blanc

Appellation: Western Cape

Alcohol: 13.5%

Winemaking: Fermentation takes place at low temperatures in stainless steel tanks with a combination of yeasts for two weeks. Post-fermentation lees contact is maintained for two months with weekly stirring before racking and stabilization before bottling. To maintain a fresh, fruity profile, no oak is used in the winemaking process.