"The 4th vintage of this premium blended wine comprises of 207 barrique in total in the following proportion: Syrah 95 barrique, Grenache Noir 46 barrique, Cabernet Sauvignon 29 barrique, Cinsault 29 barrique, and Viognier 8 barrique. As before the Syrah was from a selected Malmesbury vineyard, the Grenache Noir from Citrusdal, the Cinsault from Wellington and the Cabernet Sauvignon as well as the Viognier component came from the vineyards at Boekenhoutskloof. All fermented separately with all of the Grenache noir being blended with a proportion of Syrah before maturation. This is due to the high oxidation potential of the cultivar. After alcoholic fermentation, malolactic fermentation was completed spontaneously in a combination of new and used French oak casks. All barrique were left on the primary lees for 15 months, an eggwhite fining followed by a coarse filtration led to bottling in July 2006. Hints of dark chocolate and ripe fruit dominate the aromatic profile of this wine. Rich and ripe, the wine has a generous mouth feel and mid-palate weight with a minimum of five years ageing potential." -Winery
Boekenhoutskloof is one of the oldest (the homestead dates from 1784) but newly developed farms in South Africa's Franschhoek Valley. This "Chocolate Block" is a blend of Cinsault, Syrah, Grenache, and Viognier and echoes the chocolatey notes evident in this great blend.
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