Ernie Els: The Wines
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
Trackbacks & Pingbacks