Vergenoegd Low Cape Tawny NV

In the cellar

Grapes are hand-harvested and chilled overnight, then processed through a mash pump to the selected fermentation tanks and open fermenters. Grapes in the open fermenters are punched down everey tow to three hours. The grape must is then inoculated using a selected yeast strain. During the fermentation period, the temperature is kept between 23-26 degrees Celsius for slower fermentation and extended skin contact to preserve the primary fruit. During fermentation, the grape must is fortified with brandy spirit, the addition of which raises the strength of the wine to a level where the yeasts responsible for fermentation can no longer survive. The fermentation stops before all the sugar in the juice has been turned into alcohol and some of the natural sweetness of the grape is thus preserved in the finished wines. The resultant wines then spend 60 months in second-, third- and fourth-fill barrels before being blended.