Ernie Els Major Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

In the vineyard

The 2022 vintage will definitely be remembered as the year where we had good fruit set. After pruning, budburst came about two weeks later than expected. This resulted in flowering occurring in a period with cooler temperatures. More berries per vine means a good balance between reproductive and vegetative growth, and, because we restrict pruning to allow for a certain tonnage per hectare, we don’t overburden the leaves. Mild conditions allowed the vines to catch up nicely with warm days after veraison. The heat before harvest is very important for the development of red cultivars and especially for the premium quality of our Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards grow on the warm north-facing slopes of the Helderberg region within the Stellenbosch appellation. The Hutton Clovelly soils contain a high gravel content which offers rich middle palate weight giving this wine exceptional depth and fruit purity. With an altitude of approximately 250 metres above sea level together with the cooling influence of the Atlantic Ocean just 15 kilometres away, this extends the ripening period by up to 3 weeks resulting in lovely phenolic ripeness.