Die Bastaard 2018 (Just arrived!)

Origin	South Africa, Swartland
Grape variety(s)	Mourvèdre, Cinsault
Flavor Type
Alcohol percentage	12.5%
serving temperature	17 – 19°C
Retention period	Up to six years after harvest
availabilty	Just arrived!

Story

That Bastaard, for me the dustbin dog breed. I grew up with these kinds of dogs: Doing what they feel like, nice and recalcitrant. Just like this wine. The soil is a combination of Koffieklip (ferrous stone) and decomposed granite (the oldest rock in the world). The very best soil for both pigeon breeds. Due to the dry year of 2016, all grapes were very small. That’s why I chose this blend, which was not often made in the region. I let them ferment together and then, by kicking with my own feet, didn’t let the hat get dry. The results are impressive. The interplaying aromas of the two grape varieties is something magical. Hence the name Die Bastard. Two grape varieties that ‘don’t belong together’. I am very proud of it! A good reason that this blend is still part of the Touch of Dutch collection in 2018.

Vineyard

The vineyard was planted in 2005, all vines are Gobelet pruned (Bush Vines). From 2013, organic work has been done in the vineyards and as few chemicals as possible are used. The soil consists mainly of sand/weathered granite and Malmesbury shale. This is important for structure and freshness in the grapes. The vineyard has a slope that faces southwest.

Vinification

100% whole bunch fermentation on the skins. The fermentation is done quite warm, around 30 degrees Celsius. The wine fermented on the skins for 10 days and then remained on the skins ‘post ferment’ for another 22 days to get a good integration of the tannins.

Wood education

After pressing, the wine was aged in older French oak barrels for about 11 months.