{"product_id":"damascene-stellenbosch-cabernet-franc-2023","title":"Damascene Stellenbosch Cabernet Franc 2023","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"page\" title=\"Page 1\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"section\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"layoutArea\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"column\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element  vc_custom_1634704253452\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"wpb_wrapper\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eProduced with fruit from two hilltop sites in the Bottelary ward. This bottling expresses all the concentration and nervous tension that comes from the sites’ extremely rocky granitic soils.\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_inner vc_row-fluid\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-6\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"vc_column-inner\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"wpb_wrapper\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"ultimate-heading-21246ae769b50c29d\" class=\"uvc-heading ult-adjust-bottom-margin ultimate-heading-21246ae769b50c29d uvc-5138\" data-hspacer=\"line_only\" data-halign=\"left\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNOTES ON THE STELLENBOSCH 2023 VINTAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCold units in winter were lower than 2022, but they were sufficient for a healthy dormancy period. Winter rains dried up earlier than usual, but the vines didn’t seem to mind, and budded on schedule. Things went smoothly until December, when untimely thunderstorms delivered a water-borne burst of vegetative energy to the vines, turning manageable canopies into veritable jungles. This had the effect of boosting disease pressure and depleting vine reserves. Veraison hit early, prompting us to strap on our seatbelts for a speed race into an early harvest...only to then to hit a traffic jam of cool weather, which slowed everything right down. As was the case in 2022, those of us who were in the vineyards frequently managed to goose step our way to victory.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVINEYARD\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis trellised Bottelary vineyard was planted with the CF1 Cabernet Franc clone in 2004. This site is 16.5km north of False Bay and 22.5km east of Table Bay, so the ocean effects are considerable; an influence that you pick up quite clearly in the wine. The combination of the vineyard’s cooler east- facing aspect, decomposed granite soils, and 225m altitude, enables this low-yielding vineyard to produce smaller bunches, with incredible concentration, and structure.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWINEMAKING\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGrapes were hand-harvested on 15th March, 2023, at a ripeness of 23.9 ̊B. Bunches were de-stemmed and gravity fed into tulip-shaped concrete fermenters, where whole berries were cold-soaked for three days, prior to primary fermentation. Pump-overs took place up to 3 times per day, with fermentation temperatures peaking at 28 ̊C. Spontaneous malolactic conversion took place during the 11 months of maturation in 1000-litre French oak vats. The wine was racked just once, 2 weeks before bottling.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTASTING NOTES\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA delightfully nimble expression of the cultivar. The vanguard leads with an expressive array of red cherry, violets, blackcurrant, and deeper blueberry; all gilded by a graphite frame. The sweeter notes are countered by savoury elements of roasted red plum tomato and fresh thyme.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe palate carries an evolution of its own; opening with cherry fruit and strawberries, followed by a rising raspberry tartness, and touches of sweeter toffee apple candy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOn pouring, it brims with tension, unfurling with time in the glass.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"page\" title=\"Page 1\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"section\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"layoutArea\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"column\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMATURATION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis wine will be at its most expressive between 3 and 5 years.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTECHNICAL ANALYSIS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"height: 110.110289px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 34.816177px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 34.816177px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVarietals\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 34.816177px;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100% Cabernet Franc\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 18.823528px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 18.823528px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlcohol\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 18.823528px;\"\u003e13.21 %\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 18.823528px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 18.823528px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResidual Sugar\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 18.823528px;\"\u003e1.1 g\/L\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 18.823528px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 18.823528px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003epH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 18.823528px;\"\u003e3.6\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 18.823528px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 18.823528px;\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eTotal Acidity\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 18.823528px;\"\u003e5.5 g\/L\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wine To Share","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":60789473345822,"sku":"DAM-STB-CABF--2023","price":75.05,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0013\/9919\/3658\/files\/Screenshot2026-11-02at00.35.43.png?v=1793550958","url":"https:\/\/winetoshare.com\/products\/damascene-stellenbosch-cabernet-franc-2023","provider":"Wine To Share ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}