Neil Ellis The Left Bank Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2020
R220,00
The Left Bank Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot blend is Bordeaux-style red blend sourced from multiple sites around Stellenbosch. Known for producing outstanding quality in both varieties, the Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot honours the timeless tradition of blending different varieties from different sites in order to produce a unique, premium quality wine. The favourite amongst many of our loyal followers!
Vibrant, deep dark in colour. The nose shows complex aromas of dark berries and raspberries with underlying pencil shavings. The palate is elegant and complex with fine structured tannins. This is a wine built to last and for early drinking would benefit with decanting.
More Information
Specifications
In the cellar
Grapes were harvested between 24.5°B and 25.5°B with a total acid of 6.8 – 7.1 g/l and a pH of 3.4-3.6 Fermentation initiated in stainless steel tanks and underwent a series of pump overs until dry. Further maceration allowed before drawing off and light pressing. The wine spent 17 months in French oak barrels of which 30% was new. The balance in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fill barrels
In the vineyard
The Grapes are specifically sourced from south-west facing slopes of some of the coolest sites in Stellenbosch. These vineyards are also influenced by southerly breezes during the summer months which have a beneficial effect. Trellised vineyards planted in decomposed granite soils from the Bottelary Hills and Jonkershoek valley.
Ageing
17 months
Cultivar
43% Cabernet Sauvignon; 42% Merlot; 15% Cabernet Franc
Food Pairing
Lamb shank, spiced venison, steak.
About the Wine Estate
In 1984 Neil Ellis sourced grapes from vineyards not of his own and produced wine in rented cellar space. These grapes were sourced in the Stellenbosch district and meant a lot of nosing around the restrictive quota system prevalent at the time.
His vision, the pursuit of quality, extended out of the cellar and into the vineyards where varieties would excel and best express a particular style of wine reflective of their environment.
