Leeu Passant Dry Red 2017

Awards

4.5 stars Platter's South African Wine Guide

Certificates

Vinification

Grapes are cooled in our cold room then destemmed into tank. The final blend is with 50% whole clusters. Minimal sulphur is added, and no further additions are made. The must is initially pigeaged once a day. After about 4 days fermentation begins without inoculation and the wine is pigeaged twice a day. Temperatures are not allowed to exceed 28°C. Fermentation lasts from 7 to 10 days. After fermentation, a couple of weeks skin contact is given and the wine is then drained and pressed to barrel. The wines are racked and blended mid-way through the year, and bottled after 20 months in barrel.

Soil Type

From one parcel of 38 year old dry farmed bush vine Cabernet Sauvignon planted in deep alluvial soils of Stellenbosch; one 117 year old dry farmed bush vine Cinsault vineyard (South Africa's oldest registered Red Wine Vineyard) planted in deep sandy alluvial soils in Wellington; one parcel of 95 year old (SA’s 2nd oldest registered Red Wine Vineyard) dry farmed bush vine Cinsault planted on the lower eastern slopes of Franschhoek mountains; and a parcel of high altitude Cabernet Franc planted on the mid slopes of the Helderberg mountain in Stellenbosch.

Viticulture

Sustainable

Maturation

12 months in 500L French oak barrels; 30% new, then blended into seasoned 2000L Foudre for a further 8 months