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Storm Point

2022

Red Blend

Western Cape - South Africa

About

*Featured in New York Times “20 Wines Under $20” article by Eric Asimov. Click here for special shelf talker.*

The weathered landscape of South Africa is the result of millions of years of battering storms. Storms that stirred in the waters off of the ‘Cape of Good Hope.’ That name is recent as historically it was known as the ‘Cabo das Tormentas’ or ‘Cape of Storms.’ In 1488 Bartolomeu Dias made the first modern rounding of the cape. Hundreds of previous attempts were made but the rugged lands of South Africa were protected by the rough seas and punishing storms. This ‘Storm Point’ remains a fabled place to this day.  The unruly landscape and intense growing season of the Swartland is the bedrock for this wine. Conditions were cool until the end of December, after which temperatures rose significantly during harvest, which accelerated ripening. Yields were down this year, with berry size being the notable yield component affected.

In the 2022 vintage, Syrah serves as the canvas for the wine with Cinsaut providing bright red fruit flavors and Carignan painting the deeper colors. The grapes were hand harvested from early to mid-February and destemmed to tank where they fermented whole berry. Gentle extraction through light pumpovers occurred for nearly two weeks with ML occurring naturally in the spring. It was matured in both tank and neutral French barriques for nine months.  It was bottled without fining and just a dose of sulfur and sheet filtration at bottling.

Stats

  • Grapes: 50% Syrah – 40% Cinsaut – 10% Carignan
  • Vineyard: Single sites in Paardeberg (Cinsault [50%] and Syrah), Malmesbury (Cinsault [50%]), Riebeek Valley (Carignan)
  • Vine Age: Cinsault (Average: 23-years-old) – Syrah (Average: 28-years-old) – Carignan (43-years-old)
  • Soil Type: Decomposed Granite (Paardeberg) - Malmesbury Shale with Loam (Riebeek Valley) – Granitic Sand (Malmesbury)
  • Viticulture: Sustainable
  • Fermentation: Native – stainless-steel
  • Skin Contact: 7-10 days
  • Aging: 9 months in neutral barriques (60%) and stainless steel (40%)
  • Alcohol: 13.5%
  • pH: 3.6
  • Total Acidity: 5 g/L
  • Total SO2: 75 ppm
  • Total Production: 4,500 cases
  • UPC: 6009803564485

Tasting Note

Raspberry, black cherry, and crushed herbes de Provence make up the bouquet on this wine. The palate is vibrant, with fresh, uplifting flavors of plum and orange zest. This vintage is slightly more concentrated than previous vintages, but still with smooth tannins and a refined finish.

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