Select another wine

Thistle & Weed

2021

‘Nastergal’

Red Blend   |   Western Cape - South Africa
Shelf Talker Spec Sheet Wine Label Bottle Image

About

Night falls and black nightshade (aka Nastergal) blooms, its berries ripen to inky black. Nastergal is a blend primarily made up of Tempranillo sourced from Wellington, which is a revered variety originating from the Iberian Peninsula. This grape provides backbone and matches well with the rustic Alicante Bouschet. Alicante is a teinturier variety meaning it has red flesh as well as red skin unlike most red varieties which only have red skin, translating to an inky blackness. It is this unique characteristic of Alicante that inspired the wine to be named Nastergal (Black Nightshade) reminiscent of the dark berries of this common weed. Previous vintages of this wine were just Tempranillo and Alicante Bouschet, but in 2020, Stephanie and Etienne decided to branch out with other Portuguese varieties. The 2021 bottling includes Touriga Franca, Souza, Pontac, and a dash of Tinta Francisca and Touriga Nacional.

The winemaking is kept modest and straightforward to allow the combination of cultivars and site to express itself. The grapes were sorted, fermented separately and without any additions in open top fermenters. Routine punchdowns brought a gentle extraction of color and tannin. The grapes were gently pressed after 10 days on skins and drained to barrel for malolactic fermentation. The grapes matured separately in mainly old French oak barrels for 12 months before blending. It was bottled with a light sheet filtration filtration and a small addition of sulfur dioxide. No fining.

Stats

  • Grapes: 38% Tempranillo - 34% Alicante Bouschet - 15% Touriga Franca - 6% Souza - 5% Pontac - 1% Tinta Francisca - 1% Touriga Nacional
  • Vineyard: Wellington (Tempranillo & part of Alicante) - Stellenbosch (all other grapes)
  • Vine Age: Average: 20-years-old
  • Soil Type: Various - majority deep, red, shale & granitic derived clay-loam
  • Viticulture: Sustainable
  • Fermentation: Inoculated – one-ton open-top stainless-steel (10% whole-bunch)
  • Skin Contact: 10 days
  • Aging: 12 months in old 225L and 300L French oak
  • Alcohol: 14%
  • Residual Sugar: 2.2 g/L
  • pH: 3.59
  • Total Acidity: 5.5 g/L
  • Total SO2: 109 ppm
  • Total Production: 167 cases
  • UPC: 700083698841

Tasting Note

Inky black with aromas of vibrant plum and blueberries coexisting with intense spices, and black pepper on the nose. The palate is moreish, brimming with berry flavors and robust tannins.

Select a wine

Producer


Thistle & Weed

Region


Western Cape

Country


South Africa

Have a question or want to drop a line?

Contact Us