Craven Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Stellenbosch 2022 750ml

ABOUT The King! Cab is a variety Mick and Jeanine never entertained making until a lovely little site on the Karibib Vineyard was brought to their attention. The vineyard sits at 1,000 feet in elevation in the western part of Stellenbosch. The southeasterly wind coming off of False Bay becomes a bit of an air conditioner helping to retain lovely acidity and prolong the growing season. The result is what Mick calls “old school Cab… Fresh, bright, yet inherently Cabernet Sauvignon.” The wine was fermented using 65% whole cluster, which is considered going against what is considered ‘standard operating procedure’ for this grape. Mick and Jeanine love the tannin structure and aromatics this can give to a wine and thought why not try it on Cab? The grapes were pressed a little earlier than complete dryness to make sure the tannins didn’t get too aggressive and the ferment finished in tank. The wine was then matured in neutral 300L barrels for one year before bottling. The wine is bottled unfined with just a light sheet filtration and nothing added during the winemaking process apart from a dash of sulfur. DATA Grapes: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard: Karibib Vineyard Vine Age: 22-years-old Soil Type: Decomposed granite and clay Viticulture: Practicing organic - sustainable Fermentation: Native – open-top stainless-steel (65% whole-cluster, 35% destemmed) Skin Contact: 7 days Aging: 12 months in neutral 300L tonneau Alcohol: 12.5% pH: 3.65 Total Acidity: 5.4 g/L Total SO2: 50 ppm Total Production: 292 cases UPC: 6009803564638 TASTING NOTE This is a fresh, herbal, partial whole-cluster Cab with a mixed berry and rose bouquet. Fine tannins commingle with bright acidity on the palate, which is carefully balanced between power and elegance thanks to the lower alcohol percentage. In short: another vintage of Polkadraai Cab perfected by the Cravens. PRESS Tim Atkin, MW | 93 The WineMag | 93