Aphrodite Africa is the first South African Cabernet Franc aged for an unprecedented 60 months in new French wood.
A once-off offering from grapes hand-picked and hand-selected from a single bloc of old vines on the ocean-facing slopes of the Helderberg Mountains in Stellenbosch, Aphrodite Africa was handcrafted to deliver the quintessential expression of this prized cultivar in South Africa.
Named after the goddess of love, this private release honours the past, present and future generations of women in our family through a timeless offering as complex, compelling and captivating as the women in our lives. The substance and style of this wine is appropriately conveyed through a label which features an original painting of a Samburu maiden by renown South African artist Velaphi Mzimba drawn from the winemaker’s private art collection.
A once-off private release of 5 barrels only.
Vitis Vinifera Awards
Challenge International du Vin
Berlin Wine Trophy
Cabernet Franc Challenge
WINEMAKER’S NOTES
Vintage: 2004 (once-off)
Varietal: Cabernet France
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Winemakers: David John Bate
Production: 5 barrels
Bottle Sizes: 750 ml
Yield (t/ha): 3.5 t/ha
°Balling/Harvest: Average 23 û
Alcohol (%/vol): 14.5%
Residual Sugar: 2.5 g/l
TA: 5.6 g/l
VA: 0.7 g/l
FSO2: 27 mg/l
pH: 3.57
Maturation: 60 month barrel maturation with MLF (la malo) in barrels in new French wood (Nevers) of medium plus toast followed by 24 month bottle aging prior to release
UPC: 6009812400774 (individual bottles)
SCC: 06009812400781 (cases of 12 bottles)
TASTING NOTES
Appearance
Deep dark dimensions of blood red and imperial purple extend to a maroon rim pushing a ruby edge. Brilliant lustre and luminosity with long legs and notable colour extraction foreshadow a voluptuous personality that invites immediate interest.
Nose
Seductive scents of dark brooding fruit such as blackberries and blueberries intermingle with top notes of bell peppers and paprika in a large yet nuanced nose. Hints of caramel and fire-cured long leaf cigar tobacco allude to substantial oak pedigree.
Taste
Like the warm embrace of a familiar lover, satisfying sensations of brambly blackberries, black plums and flambéed cherries excite the early palate in a substantial yet supple opening that yields to whispers of roasted red peppers, pomegranates and orange peel which tickle the mid-palate in the most pleasing ways. Wisps of cassis and cocoa deliver a smooth and sensuous farewell that caresses the back of your mouth as if the last lingering breath of a long kiss.