Technical Analysis
Catharina is bold yet suave, forthright yet subtle, assured and alluring!
Tasting note
The 2018 Catharina red blend consists of 50% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Malbec and 6% Petit Verdot. Complex layers of basil and cedar, cassis and lavender blossom, cinnamon stick and dark chocolate. Concentrated red and black fruit (raspberry, blackcurrant and black cherry) show on both the nose and the palate, accented with a full, smooth texture from the Cabernet Sauvignon component. Light herbal notes from the Merlot lend a refreshing finish, while the Malbec and Petit Verdot round out the blend, adding structure and depth.
Vinification details
The grapes are crushed, de-stemmed, 15% is juice drawn off, cold soaked for 3 days, fermented on skins for 2 weeks with the temperature maxed at 28 degrees and gentle pumpovers occur twice daily. The wines then undergo malolactic conversion in barrels after which they were racked and returned to barrels for 15 months. 83% 1st fill, 17% 2nd fill 225l French oak barrels. After this maturation period the wines were racked out of barrel, blended, then returned to barrel for a further 9 months, after which it was racked to tank and given a light fining and filtration and bottled end July 2020.
Technical Analysis
Catharina is bold yet suave, forthright yet subtle, assured and alluring!
Tasting note
As the first Bordeaux-style blend composition in almost a decade; the 2017 consists of 79% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot, 5% Malbec and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. Layers of concentrated red and black fruit (raspberry, blackcurrant and black cherry) show on both the nose and the palate, accented with a velvety texture from the Petit Verdot. Light herbal notes from the Merlot lend a refreshing finish, while the new varieties of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon round out the blend, adding structure and depth. Dark fruit and spice, lifting acidity and an encompassing tannic finish create the optimal pairing for most red meat or rich sauce dishes. Will bottle age well for 7 to 10 years after bottling.
Vinification details
Our flagship red, Catharina is blended from only the best barrels from each vintage. Each cultivar is vinified and aged separately in a traditional red wine making style. On average the grapes were harvested at a sugar level of 23- 25°B. The juice was fermented on the skins for 15 – 20 days, allowing the temperature in the tank to peak at 30°C. Gentle pump-overs occurred twice per day. After pressing, the wine was transferred to French oak barrels (75% new, 20% second fill and 5% third fill) for malolactic fermentation and maturation of 18 months. The constituent parts were then chosen, blended and returned for further maturation for 6 months. Thereafter the wine underwent a light fining before bottling in March 2019
