Anwilka Ugaba 2020

The grapes were hand picked in small crates in the early hours of the morning, ensuring cool grapes arrived in the cellar. Sorting happened both before and after destemming. Alcoholic fermentation took place in stainless steel tronconic tanks. Gentle punch downs by hand, pump-overs and ten days of post fermentation maceration enable a soft extraction of colour and tannins. Matured in combination of 20% new French Oak 400 litre barrels and stainless steel.

Conditions leading up to the growing season followed by a consistently warm summer ensured even ripening. The hot and dry conditions meant smaller berries with good concentration.

18 months

46% Syrah; 42% Cabernet Sauvignon; 8% Petit Verdot; 4% Malbec

The perfect accompaniment to most red meat dishes as well as roasted beef and confit duck.

The story starts in 2005 when Hubert de Boüard de Laforest from Château Angélus, Lowell Jooste previous co-owner of Klein Constantia and Bruno Prats former owner of Château Cos d’Estournel joined forces to create a wine that would combine the richness of fruit and suppleness bestowed by the South African terroir with the elegance and balance from Bordeaux wine-making philosophy: Anwilka was born. The vineyard which lies 7 km from the ocean in the premium area of Stellenbosch, consists of 40 ha replanted in 1998 with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petit Verdot in a poor and well-drained soil perfectly suited to the production of high-quality wines. In 2006, the three partners decided to select the fruit displaying rather youthful characters from the more vigorous vines and vinify it in a more supple way to produce a second wine “ugaba” that would be characteristically Anwilka but in a more approachable style. The name ugaba refers to a tradition of the Xhosa people, South Africa’s second largest language group after the Zulu’s. Xhosa chiefs appointed warriors who distinguished themselves by valorous acts of bravery as men of ugaba, bestowing on them the task of maintaining peace and order.