Blaauwklippen Malbec 2020

Founded in 1682, Blaauwklippen is one of the oldest wine farms in Stellenbosch. Guillaume Niel (Willem Nel), the second owner, is said to have given the farm its original name “De Blaauwe Klippen” – meaning blue stones. The 115 hectare farm has rich and fertile soils, hailed from grey-blue decomposed granite deposited against the Stellenbosch mountain slopes. Vineyard practices are aimed at achieving the perfect balance between healthy vines and low yields, to produce the best quality wines. In 1977 the first Zinfandel vineyards to be planted in South Africa were established on Blaauwklippen with the first vintage released in 1980. Today they are one of only three Zinfandel producers in the country. Launched in 1984, the Blaauwklippen Blending Competition is the only one of its kind in South Africa,  inviting wine-lovers to try out the art of wine blending for themselves. Narina Cloete has been the winemaker at Blaauwklippen since June 2016. She graduated with an Honours BSc Agriculture (Oenology) cum laude from the University of Stellenbosch.

Grapes for this wine originated from three vineyard blocks on the farm: one block on high potential Tukulu soil and the other two blocks on poorer Klapmuts soil. Handpicked grapes were transported to the cellar where grapes from the different blocks were separately destemmed and whole berry fermented in stainless-steel tanks and French oak casks. Malo-lactic fermentation and maturation followed in 300L French oak barrels for twelve months. 23% new oak incorporated.