Eikendal IBE Cabernet Franc 2017

The Cabernet Franc 201 is the epitome of a collaboration between the Loire Valley and the New World. The nose is earth driven, yet perfume aromas and rote petal notes are a sensory delight. The tannins are chalky and dense, yet fine.   Vineyards: The Eikendal vineyards were planted in 2001 in “Koffieklip” (“Coffee Stone”) soil with a clay layer 1m deep on the lower, western slopes of the Helderberg. With a maritime microclimate, the winters are wet and cold, and in summer the heat is tempered by a cool and fresh breeze from the Atlantic Ocean in False Bay.   Vitification: The vineyard (Clone CF1) were planted in an east-west row direction. The planting is 1.2m x 2.4m in vertical shoot positioning with spur pruning. The canopy height is approximately 1.4m with vines approximately 40cm off the ground. Irrigation is done via leaf water potential, determined by a pressure chamber. Sugar loading and berry aromatic sequence are used to determine picking dates.   Vinification: The grapes were hand-picked and cooled down to 1ºC before entering the cellar. Whole bunch (2%) was added before a 20 day cold soaking. Spontaneous fermentation took place with one punch down by hand per day. It did not finish alcoholic fermentation completely and natural malolactic fermentation occurred in the barrel before dry fermentation. The fermentation was restarted in the Spring of 2016. The wine was matured for 12 months in 15% new 500ℓ French oak barrels custom-made by Frenchman Bruno Lorenzon from the forest Pierre du Bourgogne. After racking, the wine settled down for three months in tanks before finally racked off the lees and bottled unfiltered.   Cellar Master: Nico Grobler