Groote Post Merlot 2000

In The Vineyard
Total Hectares: 16Clones: MO181 & MO192 BRootstock: Richter 99 & 110Trellising: 5 Wire- extended Perold -moveable foliage wires.Irrigation: NoneSoil: Hutton & OakleafElevation: 180-240m above sea level on south facing slopes.Age of vines: years

In The Cellar
All fruit is handpicked into baskets, after which grapes were crushed and de-stemmed, allowing 25% whole berries to pass through. SO² was added during crushing. The Merlot was pumped into open fermenters where a warm soak took place for three days, before inoculation The wine was pumped over 4 times in 24 hours and occasionally “racked and returned” with aeration to aid in colour extraction and stabilisation. Fermentation lasted 6 days and temperatures peaked at 30ºC. Post-fermentation maceration lasted 10 days after which the skins were pressed and underwent Malolactic Fermentation in the tank.