Vintus

Blue Grove Hill Cabernet-Merlot, Philadelphia

Inspired by the groves of trees with the magnificent and occasionally “blue” Table Mountain visible from Capaia, this Bordeaux blend is the second label of the estate, and another fantastic example of the quality of the Capaia estate. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Blue Grove Hill is the second label of the estate. The wine has a fresh and youthful bouquet, with fine aromas of fruit and spice that are fulfilled on the palate and show true quality rarely found in wines in this category. The dense tannin structure is beautifully balanced with the acid and alcohol, ensuring the wine will benefit from further aging in bottle.

Vinification of this wine follows the same careful process as the flagship Capaia, with each vineyard’s progress monitored and evaluated separately until the blending takes place. The wines are allowed to undergo Malolactic fermentation naturally in second fill French Oak barriques, and then mature for approximately eight months before being bottled and labeled at Capaia. For the 2005 vintage the final blend was 64% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc.

2005 Vintage Reviews:

“Forward and juicy, with raspberry, fig and black licorice flavors backed by a nice graphite hint on the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.” 89 Wine Spectator, January 2007

“Dark red. Claret-like aromas of currant, cedar, tobacco, smoke, meat, graphite and iodine; imagine fruit-driven Graves or old-style Saint-Emilion. Suave and sweet, with a creamy core to the slightly medicinal flavors of tobacco, iron, cigar box and game. Finishes with ripe tannins and a suggestion of hot rocks. Incidentally, Philadephia is a fairly cool region just up the coast from Cape Town.” 89 Tanzer, Mar/April 2007