Cloof Crucible Shiraz 2004

This wine entered our lives on 11 February 2004 when 5.58 tons of Shiraz grapes (cropped at a little more than one ton per hectare from unirrigated bush vines) came into our cellar.

Due to the small volume of wine (only 3380 litres) it was taken to barrels immediately after pressing, where it completed alcoholic fermentation and then continued with malolactic fermentation. Fruit-oak integration was optimised as a result of this early introduction to barrels. We used 100% new Nadalie barrels for its 15-month maturation.

The 2004 Crucible has a tighter structure than the internationally acclaimed 2003, but the same seductive flavour profile.

This singular wine is a product of the hot and dry circumstances under which the vines grow. Adversity that is a literal and figurative crucible.

VINEYARD INFORMATION

Age of Vines:

Vineyard planted in 1998

Trellising:

None (bush vines)

Irrigation:

None

Soil:

Decomposed granite and Oakleaf

Position:

East-facing slopes

CELLAR INFORMATION

Harvest date:

11 February 2004

Harvest Sugar:

26 -27 ºB

Yield:

Just over one ton per hectare

Fermentation:

Grapes were de-stemmed and cold-macerated for 48 hours before being inoculated with yeast. The grapes spent 6 days on skins and were pressed to new French oak barrels (all Nadalie) when almost dry. Fermentation temperature reached 31ºC.

Maturation:

After malolactic fermentation, in the barrel, the wine was racked and transferred back to the same barrels, where it matured for a further 15 months.

Bottling date:

Jul 2005

Alc:

14.83 %

RS:

2.20 g/l

Extr:

34.70 g/l

pH:

3.93

TA:

7 g/l