ROSENDAL RESERVE CAPE RUBY

The Cape Ruby is a fortified wine with a bright red-purple colour.  It has a youthful and vibrant nose with lush cherry, sweet plum and kirsch aromas that follows through on the taste.  It is medium bodied and full sweet with beautiful mulling spices and hints of oak that paves the way for supple tannins and ripe dark fruit pastels on the palate.

Harvest:

This wine is a blend of different cultivars and different vintages from a different number of sites around Calitzdorp.  The dry semi-dessert climate of this area as well as the rich alluvial soils are perfect for growing Portuguese cultivars.

Vineyard:

The grapes were sourced from vineyards in Calitzdorp, Klein Karoo. The property is nestled between the Rooiberg and the Swartberg mountains, with fertile red alluvial soils and is elevated on a slight plateau overlooking the Gamka Valley.  This area poses quite a  viticultural challenge with its unpredictable  climate, its numerous of varying soil types, slopes, and aspect.  All these aspects result in wines with exceptional flavour composition, elegance and brilliant colour.  The relative isolation from other areas allows the proprietors  to farm free from various vineyard pests – a few of there vineyards are planted on their own rootstock.

Winemaking:

This fortified wine is made in much the same way as its crafted in the Douro Valley in Portugal.  Full ripe Portuguese varieties are hand picked and fermented in traditional open fermenters, known as lagares.  The correct sugar concentration of the wine is pressed and moved to stainless steel tanks.  Now fortification (the addition of fine grape spirits) commences, followed by maturation in old French oak barrels for up to 5 years.  Cape Ruby is classified as a non-vintage fortified wine which means it is a blend of different vintages.

Grape Varieties:

Touriga Nacional (70%), Tinta Barocca (20%), Souzáo (10%)

Analysis:  

Production:

1200 bottles

Serving Suggestion:

This wine can be served as an aperitif or partner to self-indulgent desserts, especially dark chocolate. But it partners equally well with mature cheeses, charcuterie, or mildly spiced curries.  Serve slightly chilled in warmer climates (at 14˚C)