Diemersfontein
Carpe Diem Pinotage
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Pinotage
When owners, David & Sue Sonnenberg, decided to start a wine business on their family farm, after the age of 50, they were truly ‘seizing the day’. Our Carpe Diem range is this dream of making world class, innovative wines from Wellington, reflected.
Inviting flavours of raspberries, cherries and pencil shavings on the nose, followed with rich fruit flavours of plum and berries rounding it all off with supple tannins on the palate.
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The Original Pinotage
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Pinotage
Cold soaking for 12 hours. Inoculation with yeast. Aerated pump overs every 3 hours for 25 minutes to extract sufficient colour, tannin and aroma. Pressed at 2.5 °B and completed alcoholic fermentation on French oak inserstave. Malolactic fermentation was completed on the primary lees and staves. Racked after malolactic fermentation and put back on oak staves for 6 months.
On the nose rich dark chocolate and powerful freshly brewed coffee styling, with a hint of mint and baked plums. The palate shows distinct characters of coffee and chocolate, which is balanced with smooth velvety tannins and a lingering aftertaste.
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The Clockmaker
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Old Vine Chenin Blanc
The Clockmaker Chenin blanc vineyard was planted in 1986 by the current owner David Sonnenberg’s father, the block is situated on a South West facing slope on decomposed granite soils. The grapes are picked early morning and the bunches are destemmed, crushed and pumped straight to the press. Free run juice is kept separate and cold settled for 3 days before being racked to to 400L French oak barrels of which 25% is new oak. Fermentation takes place in barrel over a 2 week period. Post fermentation batonnage is done once a week for 2 months to create a fuller and rounder mouth feel. The wine then spends a further 12 months on its lees undisturbed before being racked, filtered, stabilised and bottled.
Medium bodied wine with aromas of yellow peaches, pineapple, honey and spice with and appealing acid flourish on the finish.
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Carpe Diem Malbec
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Malbec
Harvested early in the morning. The berries were crushed and inoculated with yeast. Fermentation temperature at 24 – 26°C. Combined pumping over and aerated racking ensured good extraction and colour stabilisation. Fermented till dry on the skins, the wine was racked to French barrels to complete malolactic fermentation. Malolactic fermentation lasted approximately 6 weeks after which the wine was racked and barrelled. Maturation period of 14 months.
A decadent blend of berries and plums, yielding to subtle liquorice and cherry tobacco aromas followed by lively and finely structured tannin.
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Sweet Sue
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Sun-Dried Viognier
The Sweet Sue is made from sun-dried Viognier grapes that were pinched at the stems of the grape bunches on the vine and left to raisin, concentrating the sugars and acidity levels.
Aromas of dried peach and apricot, orange marmalade and toasted nut on the palate finishing with a lingering aftertaste.
Medium bodied wine with aromas of yellow peaches, pineapple, honey and spice with and appealing acid flourish on the finish.
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Thokozani SMV
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Shiraz, Mourvedré, Viognier
The grapes were harvested in three separate batches and fermented individually. Pre-fermentation cold soaking was given for 1 days before inoculation with yeast. Mourvèdre was pumped over every 3- 5 hours in a closed fermenter. The Shiraz was fermented in a closed fermenter and given combined pumping over 3-5 hours with alternative aerated pump overs.The wine was racked after alcoholic fermentation and malolactic fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks. The Mourvèdré was racked to barrel after malolactic fermentation in new french oak barrels and the Shiraz into tanks fitted with 100% new American oak staves. The Viognier component is from a small batch of natural sweet Viognier, adding fuller mouth feel and fruit to the wine.
Smokey bacon, butterscotch, vanilla and sweet black fruit with spice followed onto the palate a savoury mix of fruit and mocha with silky tannins to finish.
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Thokozani Cabernet Franc
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Cabernet Franc
The grapes were harvested from a single block of vines at Diemersfontein. The grapes were destemmed, crushed and left to cold soak overnight in an open fermenter, before bring inoculated for alcoholic fermentation as well as malolactic fermentation the following day. Pump-overs every 3-4 hours for the first ⅔ of fermentation, then every 7 hours the last ⅓ to prevent excessive extraction. Wine was pressed and racked to stainless steel tanks; free run and hard pressings separated to ensure a full and complete fermentation. On completion the two components were blended and racked into 3rd fill French oak barrels for 16 months.
The approach shows a burst of dark fruit, cassis and plum, with a very delicate herbaceous note. The round mouthfeel with grippy, yet elegant, tannin, has a weighted indulgence across all aspects of the palate. A delicate greenness offers balance to the richer characteristics of the wine, ensuring a lingering aftertaste with hints of fennel leaf liquorice.
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