LOURENS RIVER VALLEY 2000
As this the third vintage of Lourens River Valley made it's way
onto the shelves and into dining arenas, it is clearly the product of the
Morgenster quality philosophy as well as a very clear sign of things to
come from this fledgling brand. Wine production from the 40ha of
exclusively Bordeaux varieties on this 200ha property has been managed
from the outset with a single minded focus on producing only the very
best.
Evaluation of the grapes begins in the vineyards with site
selection as the first of three careful selection processes. The first
selection takes place after rigorous tasting of the grapes during the
ripening phase, and only the best grapes are harvested. The second takes
place at the sorting table just outside the winery; every bunch is
scrutinized for any flaws, and once again, only the very best bunches and
berries make their way into the de-stalker. Our third selection process
takes place after barrel maturation but before blending. At this stage,
every barrel is tasted and evaluated in terms of its ability to carry the
Morgenster credence.
VINEYARD
REGION |
Stellenbosch
Helderberg ward |
VINTAGE
CONDITIONS |
A hot year with predictable powerful
concentrated reds which bodes very well for the cellaring potential of
our wines form this harvest. |
GRAPE
VARIETIES |
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Franc |
| MATURATION |
Individual components spent 15 months in 300l
French oak barrels, 22% new wood. The wine spent 6-months in bottle in
the confines of the cellar before release. |
WINE
ANALYSIS |
| Alc / Vol: |
13.7% |
| Acidity: |
6.0g/l |
| pH: |
3.4 |
| Residual sugar: |
<2.5g/l |
| Extract: |
31g/l |
|
FOOD
MATCHES |
Pair this wine with roasted peppers, wild
mushroom and truffle risotto, butternut ravioli and ripe cheese. |
Winemaker comments by
Marius Lategan |
| COLOUR |
Strikingly fresh, concentrated and deep plum
colour. |
| NOSE |
Fresh nuances of cherry, blackcurrant and liquorice carried
by undertones of vanilla spice and some oak wood. A flinty, earthy,
mushroom (or is it truffles) as a second nose gives one the
impression of a unique, terroir-specific character rather than a
certain cultivar expression. |
| PALATE |
The rather sweet nuances of the dominating Merlot component
offers exactly those fruit flavours carried from the first
impression. A classic style with a subtle mouth feel brought upon by
the successful marriage of the components. |
Awards
|
| Platter Guide: |
4½ stars |
| Grape Magazine: |
4½ stars |
| British Wine Magazine: |
94 points |
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