This wine immediately draws you in with aromas of forest floor and cold stone, beautifully intertwined with layers of dark fruits. Underpinning this is a blackcurrant and fynbos complexity, adding a distinctly Helderberg signature, while notes of tobacco, leather, and oak spice lend depth and warmth. On the palate, the wine is rich, with a well-integrated acidity that lifts without sharpness. The wine’s tannin structure is refined and fruit-forward, revealing purity with a sense of tension and balance, while a mineral edge adds to the layers of complexity. The finish lingers, echoing the wine’s character with notes of dark fruit and subtle oak spice.

93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot

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Alc 13.1%

TA 5.4 g/L

RS 1.6 g/L

pH 3.55

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The grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed but not crushed. After sorting, the whole berries ferment in vessels for about 18 days. Following fermentation, the wine is pressed and moved to select French oak barrels for Malolactic fermentation and ageing. The blend is created during the first racking (at 6 months), with two more rackings during ageing to assess oak influence before bottling.

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The Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards flourish in the loamy gravel soils of Waterford Estate. They are situated on the warmer, north-facing slopes at an altitude of approximately 330 m above sea level. This elevation takes full advantage of the ocean breeze, which significantly cools the vineyard canopy during the afternoons. Waterford Estate boasts 8 diverse clones of Cabernet Sauvignon, each cultivated across various sections of the estate. The predominant soil type comprises grey loamy soils with a substantial content of gravel and stone. The majority of these vineyards were planted between 1999 and 2002.

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Aged in 300L French oak barrels for 20 months, 32% new oak

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5 - 20 years from production

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