Waterford Estate Unveils the Highly Anticipated 2016 Vintage of The Jem

The Jem 2016 Blend - An artful expression of the Helderberg Mountain 

Winemaking - The blending process at Waterford Estate takes place six months into the wine maturation process. The wines are racked from barrel, and blended in small batches by Waterford Estate’s winemaker. This fluid wine blending style allows The Jem blend to showcase the best of the vintage by not striving to be a wine consistent in taste but consistent in quality.

Maturation - Once the blend has been chosen the wine is further matured in French oak barrels for a total of 21 months, 35% of the wine goes through a more rigorous oaking regime in new French oak barrels.

Cultivars - The Jem blend is layered with the backbone of the farm Cabernet Sauvignon making up 48% of the total wine, Shiraz fills in as the second largest blending component at 22% and the rest of the blend is layers of Cabernet franc at 8%, Mourvèdre at 7%, Petite Verdot at 6%, Merlot at 4%, Barbera at 3%, and Sangiovese completing the blend at 2%.

The vineyard - Located in the crown jewel of red wine growing terroirs of the Cape Winelands - the rolling hills of the Heldberg Mountain serve as the ideal site to grow Bordeaux, Rhone, and Italian varietals. Each varietal is grown in a soil profile that best suits the varietal, giving the vine the best conditions to produce high-quality fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon makes up 37% of our vineyard, with our soil profile mainly comprised of decomposed sandstone and granite. The diversity can be seen throughout the vineyard with twelve different varietals being grown at exceptional quality.

Vintage review - The 2016 vintage represents the peak of the Cape Wineland’s drought period, with rainfall remaining approximately half of our usual norm. Additionally, higher-than-average temperatures intensified the concentration of grapes on the vines, resulting in a shorter hang time. Given these conditions, meticulous cellar techniques were employed to ensure the crafting of elegant wines, as the heat had the potential to augment the grape's structure and tannin levels.

Cellarmaster, Mark le Roux’s comments, “It's the second year of drought and the vineyards are starting to react. We had a good moderate season, constantly heating up towards harvest, with very little rain during harvest. Almost ideal ripening conditions. The wines have great aroma profiles which are very true to the cultivars and their sense of place. The heat has left us with softer acidities throughout but we still have a good sense of classic tight tannin structures, and lovely mouthfeel in the wines.”

About Waterford Estate

Waterford Estate is dedicated to producing fine wine, wine that bestows the sense of place of the Helderberg Mountain in every bottle. This ideal terroir is what allows Waterford Estate to craft the fine wine that it does, where the experienced, careful hand in the vineyard can be felt in every expertly crafted bottle of Waterford Estate wine.

As you step into their tasting room, you will be embraced by their unwavering passion for wine, South African culture, and heritage. With every guest, they endeavor to create a remarkable and unforgettable experience, sharing their deep-rooted love for all things wine and culture.

For any questions or requests for additional information contact: info@waterfordestate.co.za